2022
UCC study investigates potential link between pesticides and Parkinson鈥檚 Disease
A research team based at University College Cork is seeking volunteers from the farming community in Ireland as part of its study into a potential link between the use of pesticides and Parkinson鈥檚 Disease.
Parkinson鈥檚 disease is one of the most common degenerative brain disorders, it affects 1 in every 100 of people aged over 60. Over the next 20 years, the number of people living with Parkinson鈥檚 is estimated to double from 6.5 million to 13 million. At present around 12,000 people in Ireland are living with Parkinson鈥檚.
鈥淥ur research team is investigating the possible link between Parkinson鈥檚 and pesticide exposure on Irish farms,鈥 stated Professor Aideen Sullivan of UCC鈥檚 Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience.
鈥淚n laboratory settings, certain pesticides can cause Parkinson鈥檚 symptoms in rodents. Research in several other countries has established a link between pesticide use and the risk of developing Parkinson鈥檚. Large studies conducted in the United States show that individuals with Parkinson鈥檚 are twice as likely to report exposure to pesticides in their lifetime.
鈥淥ther studies have found that individuals who have prolonged exposure to pesticides have a 70% higher rate of developing Parkinson鈥檚. In France, the highest rates of Parkinson鈥檚 are in areas of vineyards, specifically those with high fungicide use. There is no data on the use of specific types of pesticides and their relationship to Parkinson鈥檚 in Ireland,鈥 she said.
In addition to farmworkers, the wider agricultural communities in Ireland can be exposed to pesticides, as these chemicals sometimes travel in the air.
鈥淪ome farming pesticides are highly persistent and can be found in treated soils and dust up to decades after application,鈥 Prof. Sullivan added.
鈥淩ural living can mean that people are exposed to pesticides through the air or well water. Our study aims to understand how the use of pesticides may be linked to people with Parkinson鈥檚, as well as their families, with a view to gathering information on the environmental risks associated with Parkinson鈥檚 in Ireland,鈥 she said.
To take part in this research and participate in an online survey, please follow the link or scan the following QR code on a smart device.
This research project is conducted by Professor Aideen Sullivan and members of her research team at University College Cork. This study has obtained ethical approval from the UCC Social Research Ethics Committee. If you have any queries about this research, you can contact the members of the team at PDSTUDY@ucc.ie.
Professor Sullivan, Dr Lucy Collins Stack and their postgraduate researchers attended the National Ploughing Championships on 20-22nd September to promote this research study and seek volunteers for the survey.
If you have any concerns as a result of this survey, please contact your own GP, or the specialist who treats you. Also, you can contact the Parkinson鈥檚 Association of Ireland (PAI) Helpline on 1800359359.