TY - JOUR
T1 - Parkinson's disease and brain levels of organochlorine pesticides
AU - Fleming, Lora
AU - Mann, John B.
AU - Bean, Judy
AU - Briggle, Thomas
AU - Sanchez‐Ramos, Juan R.
PY - 1994/7
Y1 - 1994/7
N2 - Epidemiological studies have suggested an etiologic relationship between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease (PD). Organochlorine pesticides were assayed in postmortem brain samples from 20 PD, 7 Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 14 nonneurological control cases. The three groups were similar in age at death, sex, and demographic variables. Only two of 16 pesticide residues screened were detected. A long-lasting residue of DDT (pp-DDE) was found in the majority of cases of PD and AD, as well as in all the control cases; pp-DDT was significantly more likely to be found in AD controls than the PD cases (Fisher's exact two-tailed, p = 0.04). Dieldrin was detected in 6 of 20 PD brains, 1 of 7 AD, and in none of 14 control samples. Despite the relatively small number of brains assayed, the association between Dieldrin and the diagnosis of PD was highly significant (p = 0.03). Dieldrin, a lipid- soluble, long-lasting mitochondrial poison, should be investigated as a potential etiological agent of Parkinsonism.
AB - Epidemiological studies have suggested an etiologic relationship between pesticide exposure and Parkinson's disease (PD). Organochlorine pesticides were assayed in postmortem brain samples from 20 PD, 7 Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 14 nonneurological control cases. The three groups were similar in age at death, sex, and demographic variables. Only two of 16 pesticide residues screened were detected. A long-lasting residue of DDT (pp-DDE) was found in the majority of cases of PD and AD, as well as in all the control cases; pp-DDT was significantly more likely to be found in AD controls than the PD cases (Fisher's exact two-tailed, p = 0.04). Dieldrin was detected in 6 of 20 PD brains, 1 of 7 AD, and in none of 14 control samples. Despite the relatively small number of brains assayed, the association between Dieldrin and the diagnosis of PD was highly significant (p = 0.03). Dieldrin, a lipid- soluble, long-lasting mitochondrial poison, should be investigated as a potential etiological agent of Parkinsonism.
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U2 - 10.1002/ana.410360119
DO - 10.1002/ana.410360119
M3 - Article
C2 - 7517654
AN - SCOPUS:0028339708
VL - 36
SP - 100
EP - 103
JO - Annals of Neurology
JF - Annals of Neurology
SN - 0364-5134
IS - 1
ER -