Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating condition that impacts an esitmated 1.1 million people in the United States alone. The cause and progression of this condition is a ciritical topic of study, as once the disease progresses sufficiently, patients lose the ability to be self sufficient both by having trouble moving and communicating. To stop patients from ever getting to this stage, prevention is incredibly important.

At the National Institute of Health, specifically the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in conjunction with California’s Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center, researchers were exploring which environmental conditions might lead to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s. These researchers asked whether common chemicals, like pesticides that are used to protect crops, might also have detrimental health effects related to Parkinson’s disease later in life.

By studying extensinve datasets collected to study health effects of various farming and agriculture practices, the researchers found that two specific pesticides, rotenone and paraquat, resulted in a 250% increased chance of developing Parkinson’s disease. That knowledge is fundamental towards helping to reduce the prevalence of Parkinson’s. This study showed how the US health agencies work with hospital systems that can diagnose and follow up with patients, as well as with agricultural groups that help connect farmers and their families to the studies, in a way that substantially advances preventive care by identifying harmful chemicals and practices.