Neurodegenerative Diseases and Exposure to Pesticides in the Elderly

TLDR

The study investigated whether pesticide exposure is associated with central nervous system disorders in a prospective cohort of 1,507 French elderly individuals (1992–1998). A prospective cohort design was employed, assessing pesticide exposure through occupational histories and evaluating CNS outcomes over time. Occupational pesticide exposure was linked to lower cognitive performance and increased risks of Parkinson’s (RR 5.63) and Alzheimer’s (RR 2.39) in men, but no association was seen with agricultural jobs, environmental exposure, or in women, indicating neurologic impairments among occupationally exposed elderly.

Abstract

The authors investigated the hypothesis that exposure to pesticides could be related to central nervous system disorders in a prospective cohort study of 1,507 French elderly (1992–1998). Lower cognitive performance was observed in subjects who had been occupationally exposed to pesticides. In men, the relative risks of developing Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease for occupational exposure assessed by a job exposure matrix were 5.63 (95% confidence interval: 1.47, 21.58) and 2.39 (95% confidence interval: 1.02, 5.63), respectively, after confounding factors were taken into account. No association was found with having a primary job in agriculture or with environmental pesticide exposure, nor was an association found in women. These results suggest the presence of neurologic impairments in elderly persons who were exposed occupationally to pesticides.