Common pesticide linked to 2.5 times higher risk of Parkinson’s disease

A study by UCLA Health reported that long-term residential exposure to chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide, is associated with more than 2.5 times the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those not exposed.

The researchers found that chlorpyrifos interferes with the brain’s ability to remove damaged proteins, leading to the loss of nerve cells essential for controlling movement, which is a key feature of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease affects nearly one million Americans and is characterized by the progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons, causing tremors, muscle stiffness, and movement difficulties.

The study published in Molecular Neurodegeneration goes beyond linking pesticide exposure to Parkinson’s by uncovering a biological mechanism that could lead to new ways to protect brain cells from damage.

Although genetic factors influence Parkinson’s development, environmental exposures like pesticides have gained attention for their role in the disease, with chlorpyrifos having been used extensively in agriculture before residential use was banned in the U.S. in 2001.