Affiliation:
1. Center for Health + Technology and Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
2. Radboud University Medical Centre; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior; Department of Neurology; Centre of Expertise for Parkinson & Movement Disorders; Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is the world’s fastest growing brain disorder, and exposure to environmental toxicants is the principal reason. In this paper, we consider alternative, but unsatisfactory, explanations for its rise, including improved diagnostic skills, aging populations, and genetic causes. We then detail three environmental toxicants that are likely among the main causes of Parkinson’s disease— certain pesticides, the solvent trichloroethylene, and air pollution. All three environmental toxicants are ubiquitous, many affect mitochondrial functioning, and all can access humans via various routes, including inhalation and ingestion. We reach the hopeful conclusion that most of Parkinson’s disease is thus preventable and that we can help to create a world where Parkinson’s disease is increasingly rare.
Subject
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience,Neurology (clinical)
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