Brain Health

Common Pesticide Chlorpyrifos Linked to 2.5x Higher Parkinson's Disease Risk

UCLA scientists have linked long-term exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos to a more than 2.5-fold increase in Parkinson's disease risk. The study analyzed over 1,600 participants and used California pesticide records to estimate residential exposure. Lab experiments revealed that chlorpyrifos damages dopamine-producing neurons and disrupts the brain's ability to clear toxic protein buildup — a hallmark of Parkinson's. Although residential use was banned in 2001 and agricultural restrictions followed in 2021, the chemical remains in use globally and persists in environments near treated fields. For health-conscious adults, especially those living in agricultural regions, this research highlights environmental neurotoxin exposure as a meaningful, modifiable risk factor for a devastating neurodegenerative disease.