Minneapolis – Exposure to pesticides and solvents appears to increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study from the Parkinson’s Institute.
Based on an analysis of 104 studies, researchers concluded that exposure to pesticides, weed and bug killers, and solvents increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s by 33-80 percent, states a press release from the American Academy of Neurology, which published the study.
According to the study abstract, the weed killer paraquat and fungicides maneb and mancozeb were associated with double the risk, and the risk of developing Parkinson’s was higher among farmers and people living in rural areas.
The study was published May 28 in the journal Neurology.
