Both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease affect the brain severely.  While they have strong genetic components, the question remains why these conditions are on the rise.  Certainly there must be some environmental factors involved.
Well, researchers may have found at least part of the answer:  pesticides.  Pesticides have long been linked to dangerous health conditions, and now more research is pointing to how they are linked to both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
The Parkinson’s research has been ongoing for the last thirty years when a pair of young adults came to the ER with Parkinson’s-like features.  Their bodies seemed “frozen” and not within their control.  But they did not have the condition.  Instead, they admitted to having taken a designer drug that had been created incorrectly.  In its chemical form, the drug looked very similar to the pesticide paraquat.  This gave doctors the idea that pesticides and Parkinson’s may be linked.
As they were conducting their research into how pesticides affect the onset of Parkinson’s, some seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease were in the control group.  What researchers found was unexpected by everyone.  Many of the Alzheimer’s sufferers also had high levels of pesticides in their bodies.  This has led the researchers to conclude that certain pesticides may also be linked to Alzheimer’s.
But don’t start to panic just yet.  The pesticides in question have been outlawed in the U.S. for years.  However, you should always wash your fruits and veggies and handle pesticides carefully. Researchers are working hard to have a better understanding of these illnesses and searching for any links to help us decrease the number of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
If you or a loved one suffers from one of these illnesses and still lives at home, contact Freedom Home Care. Our highly skilled caregivers offer patients the best possible Alzheimer’s Care, along with a variety of other services for seniors.