Common Chemicals Linked to Parkinson's Disease Risk

Exposure to commonly used chemicals increases the risk of Parkinson's disease, shows study.

Dr Franca Cambi of the UK Kentucky Neuroscience Institute collaborated with researchers from across the U.S for the study, which looked at a cohort of human twins wherein one twin had been occupationally exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and other chemicals believed to be linked to development of Parkinson's.

Parkinson’s Disease - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive dopamine brain cells loss. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are correctable to an extent.

TCE has been previously linked to Parkinson's disease through prior research by University of Kentucky authors and others.

In the most recent paper, the authors demonstrated that in addition to TCE, increase in Parkinson's disease risk is also associated with exposure to percholorethylene (PERC) and carbon tetrachloride (CCI4).

The current epidemiological study, led by Drs. Samuel Goldman and Caroline Tanner of The Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, Ca., investigated exposure to TCE, PERC and CCI4 as they related to risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Know your Nervous system
The Central nervous system consists of the brain, the spinal cord, and the body’s nerve network. This complex system is based on one kind of cell the neurons.

The team interviewed 99 twin pairs in which one twin had Parkinson's and one didn't, inquiring about lifetime occupations and hobbies.

While prior research has indicated a link between TCE exposure and Parkinson's disease, the current findings are the first to report a statistically significant association-a more than six-fold increased risk.

Quiz on Brain
The human brain is exquisitely intrinsic and is the seat of all emotions. If you are curious about what makes you bad, sad, silly or glad this quiz on the brain will satiate you.

Researchers also found that exposure to PERC and CCI4 tended toward significant risk of developing the disease.

This study focused on occupational exposures, but the solvents under investigation are pervasive in the environment.

Drug Firm to Pay Huge Damages to Parkinsons Disease Sufferer
A French Parkinson's sufferer who turned into a gambler and thief, with compulsive homosexual urges thanks to the drugs he took, is all set to receive a huge compensation.

"Our findings, as well as prior case reports, suggest a lag time of up to 40 years between TCE exposure and onset of Parkinson's, providing a critical window of opportunity to potentially slow the disease process before clinical symptoms appear," lead author Goldman said.

Occupational or environmental exposure to TCE, PERC and CCI4 is common due to the extensive use of the chemicals in dry-cleaning solutions, adhesives, paints, and carpet cleaners.

Despite the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banning the use of TCE as a general anesthetic, skin disinfectant, and coffee decaffeinating agent in 1977, it is still widely used today as a degreasing agent.

The study has been recently published in the Annals of Neurology.

Source-ANI