Is Parkinson’s caused by pesticides?

A new study has found a link between Parkinson’s disease and the use of household insecticides and herbicides.

The investigation, which was conducted in the U.S., compared differences in exposure to various chemicals between Parkinson’s sufferers and their relatives who haven’t contracted the disease.

The strongest links between chemical use and Parkison’s was found to be for insecticides and herbicides.

The study, called ‘Pesticide exposure and risk of Parkinson’s disease: a family-based case-control study’, is the latest in a series of research projects that have linked pesticide use to the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

Medical researchers increasingly believe that the onset of Parkison’s is more to do with environmental factors than genetic factors.

Dana Hancock, the lead author of the study, said: “What our study adds is that it’s the first family-based study to see how it affects individuals and their family members.

“It really adds confidence to the link between pesticides and Parkinson’s.”

Hancock hopes that the study will lead to further investigations into the link.