The effects of pesticides on the brain can be particularly severe in cases of prolonged exposure. The chemical industry removes hundreds of products currently on the market each year, many of them seemed safe, but actually have high doses of toxicity.
Pesticides are a large group of heterogeneous chemical compounds. They are mainly used to kill insects, weeds, fungi and rodents.
- We are now exposed to a lot of chemicals.
- However.
- Not enough laboratory tests were performed to rule out their toxic effects in all cases.
- Have devastating long-term negative consequences.
On the other hand, the effects of pesticides are particularly severe for children, exposure to polluting chemicals, even at low levels, can affect the development of their brain, this happens even during the pregnancy process, if this situation continues, several areas can be affected. These substances can even contribute to the development of disorders such as attention deficits and autism.
The developing brain is very vulnerable to the effects of chemicals, so pesticides circulating in the environment, even at low levels of exposure, can cause permanent sequelae.
In 1962, “Silent Spring”, the book by biologist and environmentalist Rachel Carson, was published. This is considered the first work that contributed to the beginning of modern environmental awareness. The book warned, for the first time, of the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment and raised such alarm that the U. S. government was forced to ban the use of the popular DDT.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, several studies emerged that discussed the effects of pesticides on the brain; For example, groups of scientists have shown that prolonged exposure to organochlorine pesticides causes changes in the central nervous system (CNS).
In most cases, learning and memory deficits were observed, as well as motor and behavioral changes.
Early studies on the effects of pesticides on the brain have stated that they cause changes in the central nervous system.
Pesticides can be toxic to humans and animals, some toxins are so strong that a small amount is enough to be fatal, however, there are less aggressive toxins that do not cause immediate harm, their danger exists because they are able to harm in the long run. Run.
You should understand that pesticide toxins can remain in the body for a long time. The body can react in different ways. This will depend on several factors: exposure time, type of pesticide and personal resistance to chemicals.
The study of this neurodegenerative disease remains a challenge for researchers around the world and, fortunately, today we can understand it more and more.
A study published in the journal JAMA Neurology discusses the importance of the environment in Alzheimer’s disease, and this research has concluded that exposure to a pesticide such as DDT increases the risk of developing alzheimer’s disease.
This type of pesticide was used until the mid-1970s in the United States, in Brazil, in 2009, the manufacture, import, export, stock keeping, marketing and use of DDT was prohibited.
To link pesticides to Alzheimer’s disease, a study was conducted in two groups of patients with this neurodegenerative disease, from the findings achieved it was possible to extract that sick people with high levels of pesticides in the blood had developed a more severe cognitive decline than people. in the other control group. Members of the other control group had also developed the disease, but were they?In the blood.
Data like this on the effects of pesticides on the brain are very important, however this link would only explain some cases of Alzheimer’s, not all, however, this is one of the studies that shows as clearly as possible a correlation between pesticides and this neurodegenerative disease.
While autism has an important genetic component, the environmental component is also relevant. One of the risk factors that increases the likelihood of autism 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 may be related to the development of this disease.
The bottom line is that exposure to pesticides can alter the methylation of the placenta’s DNA more than the other factors studied, which can alter the functioning of this organ and affect the baby’s development, so the chances of developing autism increase exponentially.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease. Destruction occurs, from unknown causes, of neurons acting in the central nervous system. Neurons use dopamine as the main neurotransmitter, responsible for transmitting the information needed to control body movements.
A group of scientists led by Dr. Francisco Pan-Montojo has confirmed that one of the effects of pesticides on the brain is to increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Several epidemiological studies confirm that there are certain toxic substances capable of producing the symptoms of this disorder.
As we have seen, the use of pesticides is highly controversial and will be even more so as we learn more about its effects on the brain, without them modern agriculture would not exist as we know it.
But to what extent do they help us if they cause so many diseases?The debate is in full swing and we are likely to encounter new pesticide-related problems in the coming decades.