NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 9 \u2013 Researchers are investigating whether exposure to pesticides and other environmental chemicals could be contributing to Parkinson\u2019s disease, as the number of people living with the neurological condition continues to rise.<\/p>\n
Dr Richard Morton, a visiting scientist from Newcastle University, and Prof Charles Newton of KEMRI-Wellcome Trust told Capital FM that pesticides are among the environmental factors most consistently linked to Parkinson\u2019s disease, with studies particularly pointing to chemicals such as paraquat and rotenone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of the most harmful pesticides have been banned in several countries worldwide, but unfortunately continue to be used in some areas,\u201d the researchers said.<\/p>\n
Scientists are also investigating the possible effects of other environmental exposures, including trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical used as an industrial cleaner and degreaser, as well as air pollution from open fires, crop burning and vehicle exhaust.<\/p>\n
Parkinson\u2019s disease occurs when cells in part of the brain stop producing dopamine, a chemical that helps control movement. <\/p>\n
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The condition gradually worsens and currently has no cure, although medicines, surgery, rehabilitation and other therapies can help manage symptoms.<\/p>\n
Researchers have spent more than two centuries trying to establish what causes the disease. Current studies are examining how environmental exposures may interact with genetic factors to influence an individual\u2019s risk.<\/p>\n
Some symptoms can appear years before the characteristic movement problems. These include loss of the sense of smell, constipation and acting out dreams, although experiencing these symptoms does not necessarily mean that someone will develop Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people living with Parkinson\u2019s disease has more than doubled over the past three decades. <\/p>\n
The risk is highest among older people, although the disease can also affect younger adults.In Kenya, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust researchers are participating in the Transforming Parkinson\u2019s Care in Africa Research project, which covers 11 sites in six African countries.<\/p>\n
The researchers are collecting soil and water samples to identify pesticides that could be associated with Parkinson\u2019s disease. They are also analysing biological samples to improve diagnosis and genetic data to better understand the role of inherited factors.<\/p>\n
The research comes as Africa\u2019s population ages and the burden of neurological diseases grows. The researchers said increasing life expectancy and improvements in the management of infectious diseases are expected to contribute to a rise in age-related neurological conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfrica is currently the fastest ageing continent, and many neurological conditions are age-related, meaning that the burden is expected to increase significantly,\u201d the researchers said.<\/p>\n
Beyond investigating possible causes, the researchers are also trying to establish the actual burden of Parkinson\u2019s disease in Kenya.<\/p>\n
They said limited awareness among communities and healthcare workers, a shortage of specialists and difficulties accessing medicines used to manage the condition continue to affect diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIncreasing capacity to manage Parkinson\u2019s and related conditions ahead of this expected dramatic rise in prevalence is an important target for policymakers and will help close the current diagnostic and treatment gap,\u201d the researchers said.<\/p>\n
While research into environmental risk factors continues, the researchers said people who handle pesticides should follow recommended safety measures and use appropriate protective equipment.<\/p>\n
They also cautioned that there is currently no conclusive evidence that particular diets or lifestyle changes can prevent Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n
However, exercise remains important for people living with the condition and can help improve their overall outcomes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 9 \u2013 Researchers are investigating whether exposure to pesticides and other environmental chemicals could be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":852164,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[49,48,84],"class_list":["post-852163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=852163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/852164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=852163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=852163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=852163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}