sept 16 tuesday sept 15 healthday news people whose jobs bring them in regular contact with pesticides may be at increased risk for parkinsons disease a us study finds researchers asked 519 parkinsons patients and 511 people without the disease about their work history and exposure to toxins including pesticides and solvents working in agriculture education health care or welding wasnt associated with parkinsons disease nor was any other specific occupation after the researchers adjusted for other factors but the study found that 44 85 percent of parkinsons patients reported pesticide exposure compared with 27 53 percent of those without the disease the finding suggests an association between workrelated pesticide exposure and increased risk of parkinsons growing evidence suggests a causal association between pesticide use and parkinsonism however the term pesticide is broad and includes chemicals with varied mechanisms wrote dr caroline m tanner of the parkinsons institute in sunnyvale calif and colleagues because few investigations have identified specific pesticides we studied eight pesticides with high neurotoxic plausibility based on laboratory findings use of these pesticides was associated with higher risk of parkinsonism more than double that in those not exposed three compounds an organic 24dichlorophenoxyacetic acid an herbicide paraquat and an insecticide permethrin were associated with a more than threefold increased risk of parkinsons the study found laboratory tests have shown that all three compounds have effects on dopaminergic neurons which are affected by parkinsons disease this convergence of epidemiologic and laboratory data from experimental models of parkinsons disease lends credence to a causative role of certain pesticides in the neurodegenerative process tanner and colleagues concluded other pesticide exposures such as hobby gardening residential exposure wearing treated garments or dietary intake were not assessed because these exposures may affect more subjects future attention is warranted the study appears in the september issue of the archives of neurology more information we move has more about parkinsons disease source jamaarchives journals news release sept 14 2009