Parkinson’s disease, the world’s fastest-growing neurological illness, may be fueled by a common and frequently used drug.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) has been used to decaffeinate coffee, degrease metal, and dry clean clothing for over a century. It contaminates the Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune, 15 toxic Superfund sites in Silicon Valley, and up to one-third of the country’s groundwater. TCE is linked to miscarriages and congenital heart problems, as well as a 500% greater chance of Parkinson’s disease.
Effects of Cleaning Chemical TCE Exposure
Too much acute exposure to TCE is thought to irritate the lungs and skin as well as cause lightheadedness and headaches. It’s also considered a carcinogen, with extended exposure known to elevate the risk of kidney cancer and possibly other forms of cancer.
And for more than a decade, some scientists have made the case for TCE being a cause of Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that steadily destroys people’s ability to move independently and often causes dementia. About 90,000 people in the US are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every year, while a million Americans are thought to be living with it, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
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Risk of Having Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease, the world’s fastest-growing neurological illness, may be fueled by a common and frequently used drug.The piece features seven people whose Parkinson’s disease may have been exacerbated by TCE. While the evidence linking TCE exposure to Parkinson’s disease in these individuals is circumstantial, their experiences demonstrate the difficulties in developing a case against chemicals. Decades often elapsed between TCE exposure and the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms in these patients.
Brian Grant, a 12-year NBA veteran who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 36, is one of the case studies. Grant was most likely exposed to TCE when he was three years old and his father, a Marine at the time, was stationed at Camp Lejeune. Grant established a foundation to encourage and help those living with the condition.
Many others are beginning to concur with the authors. TCE has recently been banned from most industrial uses in New York and Minnesota. In addition, the EPA reiterated its previous decision on TCE in January, determining that it “presents an unreasonable risk of damage to human health” in its current usage.
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