Can Environmental Toxicants Cause Parkinson’s Disease?
From 1953 to 1985, the water at the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was contaminated with trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. In 2015, the Institute of Medicine found that among people who had lived at Camp Lejeune, Parkinson’s disease may have resulted from drinking the contaminated water.
Researchers have also noted a higher prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in areas with high traffic. This finding might result from exposure to metals, such as manganese, and gasoline fuels. In addition, exposure to particulate matter may also increase the risk of developing the disease.
Can Parkinson’s Disease Be Prevented?
“Purely genetic Parkinson’s [disease] is very rare, and purely environmental Parkinson’s [disease] is rare. It is most likely that the combined effects of genes and the environment, for most people, are the cause of Parkinson’s disease,” said Dr. Tanner. Preventive measures such as wearing gloves during pesticide application can protect against the disease. “We can change the environment. We can identify genes…. We can make a difference.”
—Erica Tricarico
Suggested Reading
Abbot RD, Ross GW, Petrovitch H, et al. Midlife milk consumption and substantia nigra neuron density at death. Neurology. 2016;86(6):512-519.
Goldman SM, Kamel F, Ross GW, et al. Genetic modification of the association of paraquat and Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2012;27(13):1652-1658.
Gordon PH, Mehal JM, Holman RC, et al. Parkinson’s disease among American Indians and Alaska natives: a nationwide prevalence study. Mov Disord. 2012;27(11): 1456-1459.
Petrovitch H, Ross GW, Abbott RD, et al. Plantation work and risk of Parkinson disease in a population-based longitudinal study. Arch Neurol. 2002;59(11):1787-1792.
Tanner CM, Ross GW, Jewell SA, et al. Occupation and risk of parkinsonism: a multicenter case-control study. Arch Neurol. 2009;66(9):1106-1113.
