Re: Parkinson's Linked to Residential Pesticide Use

[michael frederic <gumbochef@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Does this mean that my dad, who already HAS PD, should avoid pesticides such
as home exterminator chemicals?  Or does it mean that I should warn my
brother and sister, out of concern for possible, very long-term effects of
such exposure on their young children?  Does the study assume long or short
term exposures?

Michael, son of Wayne 70/69/67


> > ===========================================
> > P A N U P S
> > Pesticide Action Network Updates Service
> > ===========================================
> > Parkinson's Linked to Residential Pesticide Use
> >
> > August 4, 2000
> >
> > A recent study of people newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
> > has found that home pesticide use and exposure is associated with an
> > increased risk of developing the disease. The study, led by Lorene
> > Nelson, Ph.D., a neuroepidemiologist at Stanford University's School
> > of Medicine, in Palo Alto, California, is the largest ever of
> > individuals with newly diagnosed Parkinson's, and the first to show
> > an association between home pesticide use and the risk of developing
> > Parkinson's disease. The study's findings were presented in May
> > 2000, at the American Academy of Neurology's 52nd Annual Meeting in
> > San Diego, and the full report is expected to be released in early
> > 2001.
> >
> > Nelson and her colleagues questioned 496 people who were first
> > diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1994 and 1995 about their past use of
> > pesticides in their homes or gardens. The subjects were each asked
> > detailed questions about types of pesticides used, frequency of use,
> > and when they were first exposed to household and garden pesticides.
> > The researchers also asked subjects about their cigarette, alcohol
> > and coffee consumption. A control group of 541 people without the
> > disease were asked the same questions.
> >
> > When researchers compared the life histories of the subjects and the
> > control group, they found that people exposed to in-home
> > insecticides were 70% more likely to develop the disease than those
> > who had not been exposed. The average amount of time that people
> > reported being exposed to products in this category was 77 days.
> > Exposure to garden insecticides carried a 50% increased risk of the
> > disease, according to the study. Among herbicide users, risk of
> > developing Parkinson's increased as the number of days that people
> > were in contact with herbicides accumulated. Respondents who
> > reported handling or applying those products for up to 30 days were
> > 40% more likely to develop the disease, whereas respondents that
> > reported higher levels of exposure, an average of 160 days, had a
> > 70% increased risk of developing the disease. Exposure to
> > fungicides, while linked to other health problems, was not
> > determined to be a risk factor for Parkinson's disease in this
> > study.
> >
> > According to Nelson, damage to nerve cells in a part of the brain
> > called the basal ganglia and subsequent deficiency in the
> > neurotransmitter dopamine leads to the balance and movement
> > difficulties characteristic of Parkinson's disease. People exposed
> > to chemicals that have a certain affinity to this region of the
> > brain may be at particular risk for developing the disease, says
> > Nelson.
> >
> > Source: Technical Report, Beyond Pesticides/National Coalition
> > Against the Misuse of Pesticides, Vol. 15, No. 7, July 2000.
> >
> > Contact: Beyond Pesticides/National Coalition Against the Misuse of
> > Pesticides, 701 E Street SE, Suite 200, Washington DC 20003; phone
> > (202) 543-5450; fax (202) 543-4791; .
> >
> > PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and
> > reporting on pesticide issues that don't always get coverage by the
> > mainstream media. It's produced by Pesticide Action Network North
> > America, a non-profit and non-governmental organization working to
> > advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide.
> >
> > You can join our efforts! We gladly accept donations for our work
> > and all contributions are tax deductible in the United States. Visit
> > our extensive web site at  to learn more about
> > getting involved.
> >
> > ===========================================
> > NOTE: Replies to the sender of this message
> > will not be read.
> >
> > To comment, send a message to:
> > panna@xxxxxxxxx
> >
> > To subscribe, send a blank message to:
> > panups-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > To unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> > panups-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)
> > 49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA
> > Phone: (415) 981-1771
> > Fax: (415) 981-1991
> > Email: panna@xxxxxxxxx
> > Web: 
> > ===========================================


_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at .

Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at
.