New Study Suggests Head Injuries and Pesticides Could Contribute to Parkinson's Disease
If you've been concerned about environmental factors and the diseases and illnesses you could develop later in life, you need this information. A new study conducted by UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health and published in the Journal Neurology is reporting that consumers who have experienced head injuries and have been exposed to the herbicide paraquat are three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's is a degenerative movement disease which causes tremors and loss of coordination. Michael J. Fox has been an outspoken supporter of the disease from which he suffers and has famously had to retire from acting because of its effect upon his acting.
Researchers studied over 1,000 Californians living in Central California, 357 of whom were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. These study participants were chosen for their proximity to herbicide rich areas, many of which used paraquat, a common weed killer. Among those participants with Parkinson's disease, those participants were twice as likely to have suffered a head injury that caused them to black out and lose consciousness for over 5 minutes.
What this study means for consumers is a growing body of evidence suggesting environmental factors could cause Parkinson's disease. Additionally, the study provides more evidence against the harmful effects that pesticides could have upon the human body.
The Effect Upon the Population
Parkinson's is widespread in America, affecting an estimated 500,000 people, making this the second most common neurodegenerative disease behind Alzheimer's disease. People who suffer from Parkinson's see a steady decline in control over their motor skills as nerves begin to die and fade. These nerve signals often cause involuntary movements and then restrict movement altogether. In some patients, there could be near total loss of motor skills in the body.
To date, physicians have been mystified trying to determine what actually causes Parkinson's disease. Dominant theories focus upon environmental factors, replacing the once dominant theories of hereditary factors. If this new study is correct and head injuries combined with pesticides could be environmental triggers, it could and should change how we interact with our environments.
If You Have Been Injured
If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease following environmental exposure to pesticides, please seek the medical attention you need and contact a skilled product liability attorney. Pesticides are thought to contribute to a variety of illnesses and diseases and could be responsible for yours. Obtain the medical and legal help you need to protect your rights.
