(Beyond Pesticides, June 2, 2025) One focus of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report* is children’s exposure to environmental chemicals and its link to health risks, particularly cumulative risk and chronic disease. With the evidence showing that the current approach to regulating pesticides and other chemicals fails to protect children’s health, it remains to be seen whether next steps will seek an overhaul and reorientation on the United States’ current reliance in chemical-intensive agriculture on hazardous pesticides that have been proven unnecessary by productive and profitable organic food production and land management systems, according to advocates. Beyond Pesticides and advocates are calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to promote organic practices and protect children’s health from pesticides through the setting of pesticide tolerances on food, or allowable levels of pesticide residues—taking back an authority given to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under a memorandum of understanding. The Food and Drug Administration, under HHS, is authorized to set tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), and EPA is authorized to register pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The predictable response from […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 30, 2025) The Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report, Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment, published on May 23, drew criticism from the pesticide industry and agribusiness allies for pointing to independent science that identifies a range of pesticide-induced health hazards.* The Commission, chaired by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is composed of the heads of numerous agencies of the federal government and the White House, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller. The MAHA Commission was established by Executive Order 14212 on February 13, 2025. Despite extensive citations to the science on pesticide hazards, the report includes a section on “Crop Protection Tools,” in which there is a repetition of chemical industry talking points that pesticide residues in food comply with existing tolerances, thus implying that pesticides in food are safe. (See USDA Pesticide Data Program Continues to Mislead the Public on Pesticide Residue Exposure.) However, overall the report’s introduction sets a tone that seeks to catalogue […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 29, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, “investigates genotoxic effects on farmers in Paraíba, Brazil, analyzing buccal mucosa cells [cells from inside the cheek] for DNA and cellular damage,” the authors write. In comparing data from 33 pesticide-exposed agricultural workers to 29 unexposed people in a control group, the researchers report that the “findings revealed significantly higher frequencies of cellular alterations and DNA damage among exposed farmers relative to the control group, with no significant impact from factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or family cancer history.” They continue, “These results underscore the genotoxic risks linked to prolonged pesticide exposure and highlight the necessity for stricter regulatory measures.” As Beyond Pesticides documents in Disproportionate Pesticide Hazards to Farmworkers and People of Color Documented… Again, farmworkers have been excluded from labor and occupational safety protection laws since their inception. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defers all policy on pesticide protections to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has been widely criticized for providing inadequate worker protection standards. This study focuses on workers in Brazil, but represents issues that impact communities worldwide. “The agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Brazil’s economy, encompassing […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 28, 2025) A study in Birth Defects Research bolsters existing evidence that agricultural workers, and specifically Hispanic workers in California, are disproportionately bearing the burden of pesticide exposure. Caroline Cox, formerly of the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, and Jonathan K. London, PhD of the University of California, Davis, examine how currently-used agricultural pesticides unequally affect communities along racial and ethnic gradients. Ms. Cox is a member of Beyond Pesticides’ board. Using 2022 data from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and the U.S. Census Bureau, the researchers analyzed county, census tract, and school district data for the percentage of non-Hispanic White population in each population unit and determined the total agricultural use of commercial formulations of pesticides in the same units. CDPR reporting system’s granular data, including application locations at a resolution of one square mile, and the specific products, dates, and amounts of pesticides used, allows comparison of the data with demographic records. The results show that Hispanics’ exposure status is robust, independent of current or past data or “individual pesticides of public health concern.” Pesticides that harm reproductive health were strikingly concentrated among Hispanic populations. There is abundant evidence of racial and ethnic […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 23-26, 2025) This Memorial Day, while honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died serving in the United States Armed Forces, Beyond Pesticides recognizes those who are still fighting the long-term impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals as a result of their use in warfare. A recent review in the Open Journal of Soil Science acts as a reminder of the effects that span multiple generations to both the environment and human health following the use of pesticides. The review analyzes the history and impacts of herbicide use during the Vietnam War, as well as emphasizes the importance and relevance for current and future generations. As the authors state, “The United States (U.S.) and other countries, including Russia and Ukraine, need to learn the historical lessons from the U.S. use of herbicides, containing dioxin TCDD and/or arsenic (As), as chemical weapons during the Vietnam War.” As previously reported by Beyond Pesticides, public attention generally focuses on the “rainbow herbicides,” particularly Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War; meanwhile, it is the dioxin TCDD (2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzodioxin), a byproduct of Agent Orange’s manufacturing process, that has caused the most lasting damage within the country. While the breakdown […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 22, 2025) A medical study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds that “living within 1 mile of a golf course was associated with 126% increased odds of developing PD [Parkinson’s Disease] compared with individuals living more than 6 miles away from a golf course.” While organic land management offers a simple solution, current pesticide restrictions do not address chronic neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease, which are linked to pesticide exposure. It has become increasingly clear that viable and cost-effective land management practices, including for golf course management, are critical to the protection of community health. Yet, the federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), do not conduct an alternative practices assessment as part of their review process to determine whether the risks are “reasonable” (statutory language) or the risk assessments accept an unnecessary hazard. The complexity of pesticide exposure, which includes mixtures of multiple chemicals and undisclosed hazardous “inert” ingredients, raises broad questions about the threats to public health as well as biodiversity. See a recent Action of the Week, FDA Must Establish Tolerances for Pesticides Used in Mixtures, to see […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 21, 2025) An assessment of the fire hazards of four herbicide products in Science of The Total Environment finds high fire and toxic gas emission risk, particularly in 2,4-D-based weed killer products. The authors note that “Inert [nondisclosed] ingredients significantly influence flammability and toxic gas generation in fires,” and the combustion of these products “releases hazardous gases and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.” These results highlight the fire hazards associated with herbicides, as well as the emission of hazardous substances into the atmosphere, which can threaten environmental and public health.    The authors summarize: “[T]he aim of this work is to raise awareness of the fire hazards posed by the storage of pesticides and what effect the ‘inert’ substances in them have. In the past, large fires have occurred around the world, e.g., in Basel (1986), Arkansas (1998), and in Eastern Virginia at the Bayer CropScience plant (2008). It is important to note that in addition to large factories and warehouses, fires can affect small crop protection product stores and local wholesalers.” (See related coverage on the 2023 train derailment, fire, and subsequent release of chemicals here.) The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 344,600 residential building fires nationally, based on […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 19, 2025) The Trump administration has removed crucial protections established under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), including those that protect birds from pesticide poisoning. The Migratory Bird Protection Act (MBPA), introduced in May by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), will restore protections against an “incidental take.” Beyond Pesticides is calling for the protection of migratory birds and the restitution of funds to implement the law. This is not the first time that President Trump has reduced protection for migratory birds. In his first term (2017), the Department of the Interior issued a policy that relieved industries of the requirement to protect birds, and they will no longer be held accountable for bird deaths. In addition, the agency is expected to propose rules to make this policy change permanent. >> Tell your U.S. Representative to cosponsor the Migratory Bird Protection Act (H.R. 3188).  MBTA was passed in 1918 to protect migratory birds soon after the last Passenger Pigeon died in captivity, followed by the last Carolina Parakeet. MBTA originally resulted from the loss of birds due to a number of threats—notably at the time, the collection of bird feathers. It prohibits the take (including killing, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 16, 2025) A Chinese study reports for the first time an association between gestational anemia (GA), pesticide exposure, and the potentially protective effects of gut microbes. While the report is a preprint and has not yet been peer reviewed, it establishes important connections eminently worthy of deeper investigation and suggests that the balance of gut microbes may be a highly effective way to reduce or prevent GA. This is a prospective study of women enrolled in 2017 and 2018 in the Mother and Child Microbiome Cohort, ongoing at a Nanjing hospital. The 731 women were over 18, without diabetes or gestational hypertension (which can affect gestational anemia). The researchers collected blood samples to analyze red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and levels of pesticides. They analyzed stool samples for gut bacteria composition. GA is extremely common. Pregnancy increases maternal blood volume by up to 50 percent, which produces obvious challenges to the mother. There is a strong gradient between the developing and developed countries: According to the World Health Organization, 35.5 percent of pregnant women globally had anemia in 2023. In Mali, 62.1 percent suffered from it. In the United States, about ten percent did. The […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 15, 2025) The United Nations’ Conference of Parties (COP) for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), originally adopted by 128 countries in 2001, voted to move the highly neurotoxic organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos, linked to brain damage in children, to Annex A (Elimination) with exemptions on a range of crops, control for ticks for cattle, and wood preservation, according to the POPs Review Committee. The exemptions drew criticism from groups seeking to eliminate chlorpyrifos without exemptions, as had been originally proposed. In the world of pesticide restrictions, this POPs classification marks a step forward in the international regulation of chlorpyrifos, as the U.S. sits on the sidelines. The long effort to ban this one hazardous pesticide, as important as the action is, serves as a reminder of the limitations of a whack-a-mole approach to chemical regulation of the thousands of toxic products poisoning people and the planet, filled with compromises to public health and the environment—while alternative practices and materials are available to meet productivity, profitability, and quality of life goals. According to Down to Earth, the 18 specific crop and use exemptions include the following: Barley (termites), Cabbage (diamondback moth), Cacao (cacao-mosquitoes and cacao pod […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 14, 2025) Research by the Rodale Institute, Ohio State University, and Tennessee State University, published in Soil Science of America Journal, documents that organic grain cropping systems contain higher concentrations of total nitrogen and soil organic carbon, exceeding those found in conventional, chemical-intensive systems. This study is an extension of the Rodale Institute’s Farming System Trial (FST), a 40-year-long field study with the overarching goal of “[a]ddress[ing] the barriers to the adoption of organic farming by farmers across the country.” As communities across the country express concerns over the economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs on imported goods, organic advocates continue to call for investment in organic agriculture as a form of economic development. Previous economic analysis by Pennsylvania State University, published in the research report Economic impact of organic agriculture hotspots in the United States, finds that the domestic development of organic certified processing facilities, wholesalers, brokers, producers, and other aspects of the supply chain together could create highly sought after economic development in disinvested areas across the nation; areas that may have been historically battered by free trade agreements like the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and may be interested in promoting local revitalization efforts. Background Information and […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 13, 2025) A study in Environmental Pollution examines ecological and health risks in farmland soil with pesticide contamination. “Although agricultural soil pesticide residues have long threatened the environment, a relatively complete system for evaluating their health and ecological risks has not yet been developed,” the authors state. In addressing this research gap, the study finds that “more than ten pesticides were detected in 98.62% of the soil samples, which changed the soil environment” and threatens the health of the soil microbiome. The authors continue, “This study investigated the correlation between pesticide residue risks and soil ecological security and human health, revealed the response characteristics of soil microbial communities under pesticide stress, and identified microbes strongly related to pesticide ecological risks.” Pesticides, as the authors emphasize, “inevitably pollute agricultural soil, affect the ecological environment, and pose a threat to human health.” (See studies here, here, and here.) With this in mind, they assess 50 selected pesticides in 145 soil samples from agricultural land in Zhejiang Province, China and calculate the associated risks to ecosystems and public health. In describing the importance of this research, the authors explain: “Pesticides are prone to leakage and drift in environmental media, turning […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 9, 2025) Research in Advances in Modern Agriculture showcases how pesticide residues can threaten the health of soil nematodes and cause phytotoxic effects in cucumber plants. In assessing both the sprayed vegetables and the organisms within the soil, the authors find a negative correlation between pesticide exposure and soil nematode populations that is proportional to the application rates of the chemicals, as well as alterations in plant development. These impacts highlight potential wider effects on crop productivity, biodiversity, and human health. “Nematodes, which are microscopic worms inhabiting the soil, are vital contributors to soil vitality and the cycling of nutrients,” the authors share. “Nonetheless, the non-selective and widespread application of pesticides can negatively impact these organisms, leading to potential detriments in soil quality and plant vitality.” “Pesticide residues have the propensity to be absorbed and progressively accumulate as they traverse from soil to plants and subsequently to humans,” the researchers state. They continue, “The specific characteristics of the pesticide and its interactions with the body across different levels dictate whether it will be excreted without causing significant harm or if it will accumulate, potentially leading to enduring subclinical and clinical ramifications.” The impacts vary widely between organisms […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 8, 2025) A study, published in Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability, assesses the impacts on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) with subacute and chronic exposure to thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide, and finds genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and changes in tissue structure, among other threats to organ function and overall fish health. “The study focused on biochemical markers, genetic damage, pesticide residue levels in fish flesh, and histopathological changes in fish exposed to different concentrations of thiamethoxam,” the authors state. The threats do not end there; human health is also at risk from the consumption of these contaminated fish. “Unfortunately, neonicotinoids, rapidly washed into surface water from agricultural areas, pose a significant threat to environmental water quality and can harm non-target species, particularly aquatic organisms,” the researchers state. The accumulation of these chemicals leads to “ultimately harming both aquatic ecosystems and human health,” they say. In particular, the study highlights that prolonged exposure to high doses of thiamethoxam can cause “significant negative effects on fish health,” the authors note. They continue: “This exposure led to increased levels of urea and ALT [alanine aminotransferase] in the blood, indicating potential damage to the kidneys and liver. Additionally, thiamethoxam caused oxidative stress, as evidenced […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 7, 2025) Researchers at the University of Caxias do Sul (Brazil) identify 29 peer-reviewed scientific studies with statistically significant findings that tie pesticide use to cancer diagnoses. The literature review is published in Saúde Debate. This collection of clinical trials, as well as epidemiologic, case-control, and experimental studies—from the United States, Brazil, India, France, Egypt, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Italy, and Spain—add to the hundreds of peer-reviewed independent analyses connecting synthetic chemical dependency in food production and land management with mounting public health concerns. Advocates continue to call for holistic solutions that move away from toxic inputs that disproportionately harm the communities responsible for the food on dinner tables, and instead cultivate microbial diversity in soil, rather than prophylactically spray for the sake of pest control. Beyond Pesticides values the importance of scientific integrity and open access to data to inform decision makers on how to adopt healthier practices for their communities. Reliable information for good governance is critical, which is a driving factor in the ongoing compilation of thousands of peer-reviewed literature compiled and curated in the Pesticide-Induced Disease Database and Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management. Background and Methodology The main objective of this […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 6, 2025) A study in Ecology Letters finds “severe degradation of ecosystem functioning in the form of loss of organic matter consumption and dramatic shifts in primary productivity,” the researchers state, after performing an experiment with “36 naturally established freshwater ecosystems exposed to increasing field-realistic concentrations of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid.” Aquatic communities contribute to overall biodiversity and are crucial in maintaining healthy ecosystems; without them, the entire food web and vital ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, water filtration, and climate regulation, are threatened. As the authors reference, there is a current unprecedented decline in biodiversity that can be attributed to anthropogenic impacts. A multitude of studies connect pesticides, and more specifically neonicotinoid insecticides, to impacts on aquatic ecosystems. (See studies here and here.) “Since the community of organisms locally present is responsible for the functioning of the local ecosystems,” the researchers begin, “this begs the question: do neonicotinoid-induced shifts in community composition result in a degradation of ecosystem functioning?” Previous research finds that neonicotinoids can “impede several freshwater ecosystem processes such as organic matter (‘OM’) decomposition, primary production or biomass transfer to neighbouring ecosystems,” the authors say. (See studies here, here, and here.) They continue: “However, […]

(Beyond Pesticides, May 5, 2025) With North Dakota on April 24 being the first state to enact chemical industry legislation that blocks poisoning victims from suing manufacturers for their failure to warn about their products’ hazards, a national fight over accountability and compensation has escalated. Legislation to quash lawsuits against chemical manufacturers because of their “failure to warn” about the hazards of their pesticide products is being pushed through state legislatures. Failure-to-warn claims serve as the basis for the overwhelming majority of pesticide injury litigation of the past decade, according to legal professionals, including Brigit Rollins, JD, staff attorney at the National Agriculture Law Center. The litigation is also an important check on the chemical industry in a national climate of deregulation and the Trump Administration’s dismantling of environmental and public health programs. “Failure-to-warn” is a legal argument grounded in the common law of state court systems across the nation. “Almost every pesticide injury lawsuit filed in the past ten years has included a claim that the pesticide manufacturer failed to warn the plaintiff of the health risks associated with using their product and that such failure caused the plaintiff’s injury,” says Ms. Rollins.  [See below for action steps advocated by Beyond Pesticides and local […]

* This article was cross-posted with permission from the Ecological Landscape Alliance, which was originally published on April 30, 2025. A link will be shared once it is made available. (Beyond Pesticides, May 2, 2025) With the current existential health, biodiversity, and climate threats, organic land management is a bright spot for the sustainable future envisioned by Beyond Pesticides. Founded in 1981, Beyond Pesticides began tracking the science of pesticide hazards and questioning dependency on toxic, fossil fuel-based pesticides as unnecessary to achieving effective land management, both in agricultural and nonagricultural contexts. The organization, which grew out of a series of site visits and field hearings to document the limitations of labor standards necessary to protect farmworkers, was created to bring together environmentalists, public health practitioners, farmers, land managers, farmworkers, and consumers.  Nearly a decade before its founding and less than 20 years after the publication of Silent Spring, many important laws governing clean air, water, food safety, and pesticides had been adopted. However, these statutes’ focus on mitigating risks of harm to health and the environment has fallen short, according to Beyond Pesticides. Instead, the organization pursues a precautionary approach that is codified in organic standards that grow out of […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 30, 2025) A literature review published in Ecosystem Services by researchers at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and Rodale Institute European Regenerative Organic Center identifies the ecological and soil health benefits of regenerative organic agriculture (ROAg). In comparison to chemical-intensive farming, ROAg increases soil organic content by 22 percent, soil total nitrogen by 28 percent, and soil microbial biomass carbon by 133 percent, according to the research. While further long-term comparative research is needed to compare regenerative organic with conventional, chemical-intensive systems, as well as more precisely quantifiable benefits of regenerative organic farming on soil health, researchers were able to determine that regenerative organic agriculture “has significant positive impacts on soil health and ecosystem service delivery.”  As U.S. farmers contend with the future of unpredictable supply chains, there is an increasing interest in the organic agricultural sector to minimize superficial costs while maximizing the utility of existing resources. The density and diversity of microbial life in the soil is one such resource that requires regenerative organic principles, including the commonly held belief that soil microbial life must be fed to break down organic matter for plant nutrition, rather than bypassing the soil with synthetic petrochemical nutrients.   […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 29, 2025) A study in Environment International finds pesticide-induced alterations in the gut microbiota of a farmland raptor species. In collecting blood and cloacal samples from Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus) nestlings, the authors “shed light on an overlooked collateral effect of pesticides, i.e., a general modification of gut bacterial assemblages,” which can lead to an imbalance of microorganisms (dysbiosis) and the promotion of potential pathogens, as well as negatively impact the health of birds of prey. “Additionally, our findings support the ‘One Health‘ framework, stressing the interconnectedness of wildlife, ecosystem, and human health, particularly in pesticide-affected agricultural areas,” the researchers share. “The gut microbiota is crucial for host health and can be impacted by various environmental disruptions, yet the effects of multiple pesticide exposures on farmland organisms’ microbiomes remain largely unexplored,” the authors state. In the study, they “assessed microbiota changes in a wild apex predator exposed to multiple pesticides in agricultural landscapes,” which “provides evidence of pesticide impacts on wildlife gut microbiota, highlighting links between pesticide exposure and changes in microbiota composition,” the researchers note. The Montagu’s harrier, as an apex predator, serves as a ‘bio-sentinel’ or bioindicator species for assessing ecosystem health. “As top-level predators […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 28, 2025) Despite the rising number of households without adequate access to food (18 million or 13.5% of households, or over 45 million people in 2023, including children, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service), government programs to support local food systems are being dismantled by the Trump Administration. For several years, farmers, schools, and food distributors have been working together to provide fresh, local food in schools and food pantries across the nation, thanks to two programs at USDA—the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program.  >> Tell your U.S. Representative and Senators to make the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program permanent through the Farm Bill. USDA has canceled the two programs that gave states, tribal governments, schools, and food banks money to buy local food from farmers. The LFS program awards money to states to buy local foods for schools and childcare institutions, and the LFPA program provides funding for state, tribal, and territorial governments to buy food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destinations.  Hunger is […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 24, 2025) As the congressionally created National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) of organic stakeholders meets this week to receive comments from the public on the semi-annual review of standards and allowed and prohibited substances in production and processing, multiple members of Congress are moving to shore up the organic sector for farmers and consumers. (See testimony here.) The current 119th Congress has brought a wave of bipartisan legislation aimed at improving the U.S. food system, including organic standards and programs. Organic advocates are pleased to see the introduction of a series of bills supporting organic, including the reintroduction of the Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act, S.1385, the New Producer Economic Security Act, S.1237, (previously Increasing Land, Security, and Opportunities (LASO) Act, H.R.3955, in 2023-24), and the newly-introduced Organic Imports Verification Act (OIVA), S.1398, among others. OIVA, introduced by Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Tim Scott (R-SC), is intended to improve consumer confidence in imported organic goods with support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule. (See a joint press release by Senators Ricketts and Smith here.) Amid federal funding freezes and cuts that business leaders say undermine small […]

(Beyond Pesticides, April 23, 2025) Recent reviews of scientific literature, in both Chemosphere and Reports in Public Health, associate Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally, with pesticide exposure. “Given the pervasive nature of pesticide residues in everyday food consumption and inadequate monitoring of their long-term toxicological impacts, the role of pesticide exposure as a modifiable risk factor for neurological disorders, including PD, warrants urgent attention,” the researchers state in the article in Chemosphere. In describing the history of Parkinson’s and previous research, the authors in Reports in Public Health note that while PD etiology is not fully understood, it is a multifactorial disease. “Hereditary factors are present in approximately 10% of diagnosed cases of Parkinson’s disease, presenting early onset; while the other 90% of cases are categorized as idiopathic or sporadic Parkinson’s disease, occurring in older individuals and may be associated with exposure to environmental agents,” the researchers say. This disease, first described by English physician James Parkinson, M.D. in 1817, involves neurochemical changes that present as “the appearance of cardinal motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and rest tremor, which are essential for the clinical diagnosis of the disease,” the researchers note. The […]