Scientists are starting to untangle the pesticides-Parkinson's disease connection. A broad range of fungicides, weed killers, and insecticides cause a cell detoxifying problem linked to Parkinson's disease, even at the very low doses most people commonly encounter, finds a new study published in the journal Neurology.
Eleven of the 50 chemical pesticides tested inhibited an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). ALDH's job is to detoxify aldehydes to protect dopamine cells. When this doesn't occur, the dopamine cells float around the body, which exposies them to chemicals. It's this chemical exposure that increases the risk of Parkinson's overall, explains study author Beate Ritz, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology at University of California, Los Angeles.