The Effects Of Pesticides On The Brain
The effects of pesticides on the brain can be particularly severe with prolonged exposure. The chemical industry withdraws hundreds of products, which have been previously approved and placed on the market, each year. Many of them seemed safe, but they actually have high rates of toxicity.
Pesticides are a large group of heterogeneous chemical compounds. They are mainly used to kill insects, weeds, fungi and rodents. Although they produce public benefit by increasing productivity in agriculture, they carry a risk to health due to their potential adverse effects.
Today we are exposed to a multitude of chemicals. However, not all cases have been studied in sufficient laboratory to rule out the possibility of toxic effects. It can also happen that the pesticide alone does not cause harm to the body, but the mixture of various components can have devastating consequences in the long term.
On the other hand, the effects of pesticides are particularly serious for children. Exposure to polluting chemicals, even at low levels, can affect their brain development. This even happens during the gestation process. If this situation continues over time, various areas can be affected. These substances can even contribute to the development of disorders such as attention deficit disorder and autism.
The developing brain is very vulnerable to the effects of chemicals. Therefore, pesticides that swarm in our environment, even at low levels of exposure, can produce permanent damage.
The effects of pesticides on the brain: early studies
Silent Spring , the book by biologist and environmentalist Rachel Carson, was published in 1962. It is considered the first work that contributed to the awakening of modern environmental awareness. This book warned, for the first time, of the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment and caused such concern that the US government was forced to ban the use of DDT, yet very popular in the United States. era.
During the 1970s and 1980s, several studies were published on the effects of pesticides on the brain. Thus, groups of scientists have shown that prolonged exposure to organochlorine pesticides causes alterations in the central nervous system (CNS). In most cases, there were learning and memory deficits. In addition, motor and behavioral disturbances also appeared in the subjects studied.
The consequences of prolonged exposure to pesticides
Pesticides can be toxic to humans and animals. Some toxins are so strong that only a small amount is needed to be fatal. However, there are less aggressive toxins that do not cause immediate damage. Their danger comes from the fact that they are capable of causing long-term damage.
It is necessary to understand that the toxins of pesticides can stay in the body for a long time. The body can react to it in different ways. This will depend on several factors: length of exposure, type of pesticide and personal resistance to chemicals.
Pesticides and Alzheimer’s disease
The study of this neurodegenerative disease continues to attract researchers from around the world. Fortunately, we are more and more advanced in the understanding of this pathology.
In a study published in the journal JAMA Neurology, the importance of the environment in Alzheimer’s disease is emphasized. This research concluded that exposure to a pesticide like DDT increases the risk of developing this disorder.
This type of pesticide was banned in 1971 in France, used until the mid-1970s in the United States and until 2008 in Spain. In that country, the use of this substance to make dicofol, a type of pesticide, continued to be authorized.
In order to link pesticides to Alzheimer’s disease, a study was carried out on two groups of patients suffering from this neurodegenerative disease. From the conclusions obtained, it can be inferred that subjects with Alzheimer’s disease with high levels of pesticides in their blood developed more severe cognitive deterioration than subjects in the control group. Those in this second group had developed the disease, but presented with “clean” blood.
These data on the effect of pesticides on the brain are very attractive. However, this link would only explain a few cases of Alzheimer’s disease, not all. Despite everything, it is one of those that shows the most clearly that there is a correlation between pesticides and this neurodegenerative disease.
Pesticides and autism
Although autism has an important genetic component, the environmental component also plays an important role. One of the risk factors that increase the chances of developing this disorder is exposure to pesticides during pregnancy. For example, in a study conducted at the University of California, exposure to pesticides and other compounds during pregnancy was linked to the development of this disease.
The conclusion drawn by these researchers is that exposure to pesticides can alter the methylation of DNA in the placenta, much more than the other factors studied. This can change the functioning of this organ and affect the development of the child. This therefore increases the risk of developing autism spectrum disorders exponentially.
Pesticides and Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease. It is caused by the destruction of neurons that act in the central nervous system, without our really knowing the causes. They use dopamine as the main neurotransmitter, responsible for transmitting the information necessary for the correct control of body movements.
A group of scientists led by Dr. Francisco Pan-Montojo have confirmed that one of the effects of pesticides on the brain is to increase the likelihood of Parkinson’s disease. Different epidemiological studies confirm that there are certain toxic substances capable of producing the symptoms of this disorder.
As we can see, the use of pesticides is very controversial and will become more and more so as we learn more about their effects on the brain. Without them, modern agriculture would not exist as we know it. But how profitable are they to us if they cause so much disease? The debate is in full swing and it is very likely that we will uncover new related issues in the decades to come.
Our thoughts The puzzles of the human brain are a permanent source of research that science has not yet been able to answer.
