Industrial cleaner linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease
Workers exposed to tricholorethylene (TCE), a chemical once widely used to clean metal such as auto parts, may be at a significantly higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010. "This is the first time a population-based study has confirmed case reports that exposure to TCE may increase a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease," said study author Samuel Goldman, MD, with the Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, California, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "TCE was once a popular industrial solvent used in dry cleaning and to clean grease off metal parts, but due to other health concerns the chemical is no longer widely used."
For the study, researchers obtained job histories from 99 pairs of twins in which only one of the twins had Parkinson's disease. All of the twins were men and identified from the World War II-Veterans Twins Cohort study. Scientists used twins in the study because they are genetically identical or very similar and provide an ideal population for evaluating environmental risk factors.
The study found workers who were exposed to TCE were five and a half times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than people not exposed to the chemical. Those who were exposed to TCE had job histories including work as dry cleaners, machinists, mechanics or electricians.
Source: American Academy of Neurology
Articles on the same topic
- Can chocolate lower your risk of stroke?Thu, 11 Feb 2010, 21:31:40 UTC
- Drinking milk during pregnancy may lower baby's risk of MSTue, 9 Feb 2010, 22:57:20 UTC
- Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problemsMon, 8 Feb 2010, 21:24:28 UTC
Other sources
- Can chocolate lower your risk of stroke?from PhysorgThu, 11 Feb 2010, 21:21:12 UTC
- Drinking milk during pregnancy may lower baby's risk of MSfrom PhysorgTue, 9 Feb 2010, 22:49:18 UTC
- Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problemsfrom PhysorgMon, 8 Feb 2010, 21:49:18 UTC
- Industrial cleaner linked to increased risk of Parkinson's diseasefrom PhysorgMon, 8 Feb 2010, 10:14:14 UTC
- Industrial cleaner linked to increased risk of Parkinson's diseasefrom Science DailyMon, 8 Feb 2010, 3:14:22 UTC