The research, appearing in the journal Cell, outlines first-of-its-kind lab work involving stem cells. After creating the type of mutated brain cell that past studies have linked with greater Parkinson’s risk, the research team exposed that mutation to the common farm pesticides paraquat and maneb. “Even at very low concentrations, the pesticides killed these nerve cells, which shows how they would cause Parkinson’s,” explains study coauthor Stuart A. Lipton, MD, PhD, of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. What does this mean? For some people, the combination of a genetic mutation and exposure to farm pesticides creates an especially unlucky cocktail in terms of Parkinson’s risk. “If you have this genetic predisposition, you’re much more susceptible to this pesticide-cell death pathway, and therefore more susceptible to Parkinson’s,” Dr. Lipton says. That’s the bad news. The good news? Now that researchers have a better handle on these genetic-environmental interactions, they’re one big step closer to formulating treatments to combat Parkinson’s. “Knowing what we know now, I think we’re headed toward drugs to prevent this,” Dr. Lipton explains. He adds that—thanks to recent developments in science’s understanding of genetics and your DNA—it may soon be possible to identify people with this Parkinson’s mutation. Like current tests involving the BRCA breast cancer genes, identifying those with this Parkinson’s mutation would allow people at greater risk to avoid pesticides and agricultural areas—or any other environmental risk factors. “This is a big step, but it’s only a first step,” Dr. Lipton says. More from Prevention: The New Link Between Parkinson’s And Depression
