Study links Parkinson's disease to industrial solvent (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Neil Bowdler
Health reporter, BBC News

An international study has linked an industrial solvent to Parkinson's disease.

Researchers found a six-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's in individuals exposed in the workplace to trichloroethylene (TCE).

Although many uses for TCE have been banned around the world, the chemical is still used as a degreasing agent.

The research was based on analysis of 99 pairs of twins selected from US data records.

Parkinson's can result in limb tremors, slowed movement and speech impairment, but the exact cause of the disease is still unknown, and there is no cure.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15639440




Similar highly chlorinated solvents (CCl4, C2Cl4) also were implicated. Note that this is NOT the only possible cause of Parkinsonism.

ETA: This is the same solvent involved in the case described in "A Civl Action" -- dumped by W.R. Grace, Beatrice Foods, and Unifirst, and linked to high incidence of leukemia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_Action

[Another Bill C.]

1. I remember when every

assembly station and every lab bench in our plant had a jar of "trichy" on it. It was used mostly for cleaning solder joint flux. Most of it evaporated into our air. I don't know if I have Parkinson's but I can't hold anything without my hands shaking. I wonder how those who had it right under their noses are doing.

Eventually, we replaced the TCE with trichloroethane and later, freon.

[Warpy]

2. Well, I'm screwed

It was in the drinking water on Cape Cod, courtesy the military.

I did use a water service but I still had to shower in it.

[jwirr]

3. Hmm, our family had two siblings in Illinois and two in Iowa with

Parkinson's disease. Lived on farms all their lives. How is this not genetic? The ones in Illinois were born in the 1880s and the Iowa ones in 1920s. I can understand the Iowa family may have been exposed to these chemicals but what of the 1880s pair?

[Nihil]

4. This doesn't rule out an underlying genetic propensity towards Parkinson's ...

> Researchers found a six-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's ...

They are not claiming that TCE is the only cause of Parkinson's, merely that there
is a proven correlation between extended exposure and likelihood of developing it.

There are different forms of Parkinson's (of which hereditary is but one) but,
even so, if your family has a genetic weakness that may lead to Parkinson's,
it would be wise to avoid aggravating that risk through extended use of TCE.

:shrug:

[jwirr]

5. Thank you. That is clearer.