Revisiting the Association of Pesticide Exposure and Parkinson's Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Pedro Henrique Passos da Silva, Jadson Silva Abreu, Rafael Sidônio Gibson Gomes et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis updated evidence on pesticide exposure and Parkinson’s disease (PD), examining associations by exposure type and pesticide class. The review included 124 eligible studies identified through searches of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science through July 2024. Across studies considering any exposure, pesticide exposure overall and herbicide exposure were positively associated with PD. Occupational exposure was associated with PD for pesticide classes other than fungicides, and exclusive household exposure was also associated. The authors identified herbicides as having the strongest evidence of association.
Key findings
- Among studies assessing any exposure, pesticide exposure overall and herbicide exposure were positively associated with PD.
- Occupational exposure was associated with PD for all pesticide classes except fungicides.
- Exclusive household pesticide exposure was also associated with PD.
Why it matters
The findings reinforce pesticide exposure as an environmental factor associated with PD and suggest that exposure context and pesticide class matter when interpreting the evidence. The review also highlights substantial methodological variability and limited population diversity, which constrain how confidently these associations can be generalized and point to priorities for future research.
What to keep in mind
The included studies showed high methodological variability, and the populations represented lacked diversity.