Common pesticide linked to more than double the risk of Parkinson’s disease

Key Points:

• A study published in Molecular Neurodegeneration links long-term exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos with a more than 2.5-fold increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, based on data from over 1,600 participants in UCLA's Parkinson's Environment and Genes study.
• Laboratory experiments showed that chlorpyrifos exposure in mice caused loss of dopamine-producing neurons, movement problems, brain inflammation, and abnormal alpha-synuclein protein buildup, all characteristic of Parkinson's disease.
• Researchers identified that chlorpyrifos disrupts autophagy, the brain cells' natural cleanup process, leading to toxic protein accumulation and neuronal damage; restoring autophagy or removing synuclein protected neurons in lab models.
• The findings suggest autophagy as a promising target for future therapies to prevent pesticide-related brain injury, with implications for monitoring individuals with past chlorpyrifos exposure and investigating similar pesticides globally.
• Dr. Jeff Bronstein of UCLA emphasized that this study establishes chlorpyrifos as a specific causal environmental risk factor for Parkinson's disease and opens avenues for treatments aimed at protecting vulnerable brain cells.