Growing Evidence That Pesticides Are Linked to Parkinson’s Disease

Inhabitants of areas with higher use of atrazine, lindane, and simazine were 25 percent to 36 percent more likely to develop Parkinson’s, a new study shows.

A tractor sprays pesticide in Napa Valley, Calif. bonandbon/Shutterstock

Agricultural pesticides and herbicides have been tied to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains region of the United States, according to a study that will be presented at the 76th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in April.

Fourteen pesticides identified to have strong associations with Parkinson’s disease are most used in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.