US EPA

6819969 

Journal Article 

Review 

Association of pesticide exposure with neurologic dysfunction and disease 

Kamel, F; Hoppin, JA 

2004 

Yes 

Environmental Health Perspectives
ISSN: 0091-6765
EISSN: 1552-9924 

Public Health Services, US Dept of Health and Human Services 

112 

9 

950-958 

English 

15198914 

10.1289/ehp.7135 

WOS:000222315800003 

Poisoning by acute high-level exposure to certain pesticides has well-known neurotoxic effects, but whether chronic exposure to moderate levels of pesticides is also neurotoxic is more controversial. Most studies of moderate pesticide exposure have found increased prevalence of neurologic symptoms and changes in neurobehavioral performance, reflecting cognitive and psychomotor dysfunction. There is less evidence that moderate exposure is related to deficits in sensory or motor function or peripheral nerve conduction, but fewer studies have considered these outcomes. It is possible that the most sensitive manifestation of pesticide neurotoxicity is a general malaise lacking in specificity and related to mild cognitive dysfunction, similar to that described for Gulf War syndrome. Most studies have focused on organophosphate insecticides, but some found neurotoxic effects from other pesticides, including fungicides, fumigants, and organochlorine and carbamate insecticides. Pesticide exposure may also be associated with increased risk of Parkinson disease; several classes of pesticides, including insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, have been implicated. Studies of other neurodegenerative diseases are limited and inconclusive. Future studies will need to improve assessment of pesticide exposure in individuals and consider the role of genetic susceptibility. More studies of pesticides other than organophosphates are needed. Major unresolved issues include the relative importance of acute and chronic exposure, the effect of moderate exposure in the absence of poisoning, and the relationship of pesticide-related neurotoxicity to neurodegenerative disease. 

Fumigant; Fungicide; Inseticide; Neurobehavioral performance; Neurodegenerative disease; Neurologic symptoms; Organophosphate; Parkinson disease; Pesticide; 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; carbamate insecticide; dithiocarbamic acid; fungicide; herbicide; organochlorine derivative; organophosphate insecticide; pesticide; pyrethroid; Alzheimer disease; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; behavior disorder; brain disease; brain dysfunction; cognitive defect; degenerative disease; environmental exposure; genetic susceptibility; human; long term exposure; malaise; nerve conduction; neurotoxicity; nonhuman; occupational exposure; outcomes research; Parkinson disease; Persian Gulf syndrome; prevalence; priority journal; psychomotor disorder; review; risk assessment; sensitivity analysis; sensorimotor function; symptomatology; Animalia