A recent study reveals that individuals who come into contact with a chemical commonly present in industrial and consumer goods may face an elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
According to researchers in the United States, trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical employed in metal degreasing processes and also found in wood finishes, adhesives, paint, and stain removers, has been linked to an increased likelihood of Parkinson’s disease. The study, which was published on May 15 in the medical journal JAMA Neurology, demonstrates that individuals exposed to TCE through water sources experienced a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
The neurological condition is characterized as a movement disorder, which can be seen in the slowness of walking, talking, rigidity, and postural instability. There is no cure for Parkinson’s but treatment and therapies can relieve some symptoms.
The study used a cohort of 340,489 military personnel in the U.S. who were stationed between 1975 and 1985 for at least three months. Just under half (158,122) had health data available.
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From there researchers determined where people were stationed and if they developed Parkinson’s through a follow-up done between January 1997 and February 2021.
According to the study, a total of 430 veterans had Parkinson’s, of which 279 were stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and 151 from Camp Pendleton in California.
“In multivariable models, Camp Lejeune veterans had a 70 percent higher risk of PD,” the study reads. “Camp Lejeune veterans also had a significantly increased risk of prodromal PD diagnoses, including tremor, anxiety, and erectile dysfunction, and higher cumulative prodromal risk scores.”
‘WE DON’T NEED TO BE ALARMED’
Dr. Robert Chen, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday that military personnel like those in the study are exposed to TCE more than an average person.
“I think most people are exposed to (at a) much lower level,” he said. “But I think we need to better understand what (the) risks are, and maybe to the other chemicals as well. So I think more research needs to be done.”
Chen says toxins in the environment aren’t the only factor in a person developing Parkinson’s. Genetics also play a role.
“There are a number of factors that impact the multifactorial issue of what causes the genetic factors,” he said. “I think these studies show that these environmental factors when toxins could be one of these factors, I think that could increase the risk of Parkinson’s in the number of people.”
He also said the chemical is not widely used in public life and is mostly used in industrial sectors.
“I don’t think there needs to be a general alarm,” he said. “Even this study, the percentage is actually less than 1 per cent of people who are exposed got diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease…So I think it is something that we need to be aware of.”
Research into why some people develop Parkinson’s and a cure for the disease is ongoing but studying the effects of certain chemicals on patients, Chen says, helps piece together the public risks.
“I think this type of research will tell us more about the different factors including different environmental factors,” he said. “I think it opens up the field to research more environmental factors, which is combined with other factors such as genetic factors, or even like head trauma, for example, that it can increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.”
