Pesticide Exposure Possible Risk Factor for ALS

Exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease)—a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that attacks the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that are responsible for voluntary muscle control. This study included 156 patients with ALS and 128 controls without the disease. The researchers found an association with an increased risk of ALS and both the presence of pesticides in the blood and residential and occupational pesticide exposure. This link was particularly strong for exposure to organochlorine pesticides, such as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), methoxychlor, and benzene hexachloride. The authors of the study write, “Our findings identify classes of pollutants that increase the likelihood of ALS and therefore are modifiable disease risk factors.” JAMA Neurology, May 2016