Study links common chemical to elevated Parkinson’s disease risk

Key Points:

• A UCLA study published in Springer Nature Link found that long-term exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos is associated with more than a 2.5 times higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, based on a 45-year comparison of 829 Parkinson’s patients and 824 controls.
• Animal experiments showed that chlorpyrifos exposure caused Parkinson’s-like symptoms in mice, including movement problems, dopamine neuron loss, brain inflammation, and harmful protein buildup, while zebrafish exhibited brain cell damage linked to cellular cleanup failure.
• Researchers emphasized the strong association between chlorpyrifos exposure and Parkinson’s risk, advising people to avoid the pesticide by not using it at home, eating organic produce, and washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
• The study is observational and cannot prove causation; exposure estimates were based on location rather than direct measurement, and potential combined effects with other chemicals were not ruled out.
• The EPA banned chlorpyrifos on food crops in 2021 but allowed limited use after a 2023 court ruling; it plans to revisit regulations with a potential ban by 2026, while major manufacturers Corteva and BASF have ceased production or registration of chlorpyrifos products.