Pesticide exposure linked to 2.5x Parkinson’s risk, UCLA study finds

A UCLA Health study links long-term residential exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos with a more than 2.5-fold increase in Parkinson’s disease risk; animal experiments show chlorpyrifos damages dopamine neurons, triggers alpha-synuclein buildup, brain inflammation, and disrupts autophagy, the cellular protein-cleanup system, suggesting mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets and highlighting the importance of monitoring exposed individuals.