Parkinson’s disease, long known to be caused by genetics, has increasingly been pegged to environmental factors, such as exposure to pesticides and chemicals.
Scientists recently called for a ban on one of these commonly used chemicals—trichloroethylene (TCE)—in a new study published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease. TCE is banned in the European Union and by Minnesota and New York in America but not by the U.S. federal government.
What the Study Found
Researchers conducted a literature review and examined seven illustrative cases to determine that TCE is “contributing to the global rise” of Parkinson’s disease and that “TCE is one of its invisible and highly preventable causes.”