Episode Description
- Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that gradually interferes with movement, coordination, and cognitive function. New research points to environmental exposures, not just age or genetics, as a risk factor
- Research links long-term chlorpyrifos exposure to a more than 2.5-fold increase in Parkinson's disease risk, especially when exposure occurred 10 to 20 years before diagnosis
- Chlorpyrifos, a widely used organophosphate pesticide, has remained part of agriculture for decades, creating repeated low-level exposure through food, air, water, and agricultural drift that affects large populations
- Beyond Parkinson's, chlorpyrifos has been linked to reduced IQ, developmental delays, thyroid disruption, impaired fertility, and respiratory problems
- You can protect yourself and your family from pesticides by choosing organic foods, filtering drinking water, and improving indoor air quality