Are pesticides the cause of Parkinson’s disease? Find out in this free podcast

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Author: Parkinson's Life editorsPublished: 29 June 2016

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Portland Podcast pesticides

It’s now nearly 200 years after James Parkinson first published his landmark essay about Parkinson’s disease and we still don’t understand its cause. This month’s podcast reviews our changing understanding of what causes the condition and how that may help us find a way to stop disease progression


In the latest Portland Countdown podcast, regular hosts Dave Iverson and Jon Palfreman invite special guest, Dr Jeff Bronstein to discuss the latest theories on the causes of Parkinson’s disease.

In the interview, Dr Bronstein says that in the past 15 years there has been an emphasis on genetics and explains how this can predetermine factors pertaining to the risk of developing the condition.

He claims that people with Parkinson’s have less dopamine in the brain years before official diagnosis, and that a number of things have been associated with an increased risk, such as certain pesticides.

He also explains that chemical solvents commonly used in dry-cleaning have been mentioned as a possible cause of Parkinson’s in various studies.

Listen to the free podcast below:

The aim of the Portland Countdown series is to give listeners new perspectives on the latest advances in Parkinson’s research and treatment.

The shows, developed by the World Parkinson Coalition, are aired online on the first Tuesday of every month from June 2015 to September 2016 – when the 4th World Parkinson Congress takes place in Portland, Oregon, US. The podcasts are free and available for download.


The full schedule of show topics and guest speaker profiles is available here

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