A new study announced today by the American Academy of Neurology suggests that workers exposed to the industrial chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) were five and a half times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. Researchers studied 99 pairs of twins in which only one of the twins had Parkinson’s disease. Many of those who developed Parkinson’s had a history of exposure to the chemical through various jobs including dry cleaners, machinists, mechanics or electricians. TCE is a common industrial solvent that is widely used to clean grease off of metal parts. This is the first population study that has demonstrated an association between TCE and Parkinson’s. Previously, only case reports existed. These findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010. [via Medical News Today]
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Tags: brain, chemical, dementia, nervous system, Neurology, parkinson's, TCE, trichloroethylene
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
February 9th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Like so many other annoucements of studies, Permissable Exposure Levels (PEL) are never provided unless the authors feel their important to the general public or they are not. This leaves the public to its own imagination which for the most part leads to anxiety. Even OSHA provides PELs for exposer for items under study which leads readers a basis for evaluation of their risks.
February 9th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Had morphine pump w/epidural cath. placed L-12 &T-1 md notes pre sur. and during serg. thats what he did. Kept pump 3 yrs no good and begged to have removed. After the8th month of telling doc i’v had enough i walked in and told him there was to be no more meds put in me something was not right. After going to family prac. and then neurosurgeon he imeditly told who the doc was that put it in and yes he would remove pump&cath.. I find out after my own research the cath is in the subaracnoid well here are some symptoms that i have been having headache very serious at times but every day i told them its just pressureand still is. Eyes feel like they are going to explode,ears as well,face hurts, teeth that i dont have anymore hurt,BURN in hips and sides dont touch my head,then wake up and entire left side of face is swollen fromabove lft eye ,its closed,lft nos, half of mouth and chin,lft ear. goes away in day or two. Also veryjumpy,things are loud and get on my nrves very easy! Have high b/p and very serioous spinal prob. Backwards S 2 45% curves,stenosis,bone spurs inside ,extruded disk,2 tumors, lots of compressed nerve root endings. I NEED HELP PLEASE twc443@comcast.net THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!!!
February 10th, 2010 at 3:48 am
parkinsonian disease is a complicated essue in which a patient has to be taking care .additionally ,it is related to dopamine level in the cns.any thing that directily or indirectily afects a person’s dopamine leve may lead to parkinsonian disease.any drug given may be the cause of this illness .environmental factores and genetics may be the cause.in industry there are many chemicals that affect a person’s dopamine level,therefore it will be among the causes of parkinson disease.
February 10th, 2010 at 8:27 am
I’m surprized to no end that someone hasn’t blamed it on secondhand tobacco smoke.
February 25th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Parkinson’s is now recognized by the VA as an Agent Orange related Disease. So all related health care is 100% covered for anyone who step one foot in Viet Nam for one minute! Close friend landed at Da Nang for several hours then was transfer same day to Korea due to being a sole surviving son. He later was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2007. All of his Health care has been covered and he has been awarded 100% Disability in excess of $2500.00 a month, tax free. Plus, he is drawing Social Security Disability at the Highest rate(Category #2), with his wife getting half of that to take care of him. Both received back pay of 18 months which was well needed to defray their prior cost before getting into the VA system. Just to bad they didn’t find out about the Va coverage prior.