Health
Parkinson’s risk increases with exposure to common chemical, study suggests
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A pesticide commonly used in America’s food supply has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, new research suggests.
A UCLA study published in the journal Springer Nature Link suggests that exposure to chlorpyrifos could increase the risk of the neurological disease.
The chemical is often used on agricultural products like soybeans, fruit and nut trees, broccoli, cauliflower and other row crops, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EARLY PARKINSON’S COULD BE DETECTED DECADES BEFORE SYMPTOMS WITH SIMPLE BLOOD TEST
The study compared 829 people with Parkinson’s to 824 people without the disease over a 45-year period, focusing on their proximity to chlorpyrifos.
The researchers also conducted mouse experiments, where mice inhaled the pesticide as humans would for 11 weeks. Experiments were also carried out on zebrafish to study cell-level brain damage.
Chlorpyrifos is often used on agricultural products like soybeans, fruit and nut trees, broccoli, cauliflower and other row crops, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (iStock)
In humans, the study revealed that long-term exposure to chlorpyrifos led to more than a 2.5 times higher risk of Parkinson’s.
In mice, exposure to the pesticide caused movement problems similar to Parkinson’s symptoms, loss of dopamine-producing neurons, increased brain inflammation and build-up of harmful proteins.
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Zebrafish suffered brain cell death and damage linked to failure in the cell’s “cleanup system,” according to the study press release.
Dr. Jeff Bronstein, director of the Movement Disorders Program at UCLA and professor of neurology and molecular toxicology, noted that previous human studies also suggested an association between chlorpyrifos exposure and Parkinson’s.
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“[We were] surprised that the mechanism of toxicity was apparent in both mice and zebrafish,” he said. “We rarely find such consistent results in different animal models.”
A researcher commented that the consistency in results between human and animal subjects is “rare.” (iStock)
The researcher emphasized that the association between pesticide exposure and Parkinson’s was “very strong,” and the longer someone was exposed, the higher the risk became.
“People should avoid exposure to CPF and similar pesticides (organophosphates) by not using them in their home, eating organics, and washing fruits and vegetables before eating them,” Bronstein advised.
Study limitations
The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged, primarily that it was observational, meaning it shows an association but cannot prove causation.
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It also estimated exposure based on participants’ locations, and did not measure diet, indoor exposure or personal lifestyle behaviors. Additionally, the results of the animal models can’t be translated directly to humans.
There was also the possibility that chlorpyrifos was used along with other chemicals, which means it could be difficult to measure its specific impact, the study noted.
Chlorpyrifos is used to control different kinds of pests, like termites, mosquitoes and roundworms, among crops. (iStock)
Industry reaction
Chlorpyrifos is used to control different kinds of pests, like termites, mosquitoes and roundworms, among crops, according to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at Oregon State University.
People can be exposed to the pesticide by breathing it in or by consuming contaminated food or water.
In 2021, the EPA banned the use of chlorpyrifos on food crops, but a federal appeals court overturned that decision in 2023, allowing its use to resume on some crops while regulators revisit the rule.
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In January 2026, the EPA issued an update outlining plans to move forward with a rule that would ban most uses of chlorpyrifos.
“Chlorpyrifos is subject to registration review, a process required under FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) in which registered pesticides are comprehensively evaluated every 15 years against current safety standards and the latest scientific evidence,” the EPA said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.
“EPA is currently developing a revised human health risk assessment for chlorpyrifos as part of that review, and will consider this study alongside any other relevant submissions,” the agency said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. (Getty)
“EPA is currently developing a revised human health risk assessment for chlorpyrifos as part of that review, and will consider this study alongside any other relevant submissions. Where the science calls for stronger protections or tolerance revocations, EPA will act without hesitation and without delay.”
Fox News Digital reached out to several manufacturers of the chemical for comment.
“People should avoid exposure to CPF and similar pesticides.”
Corteva, an Indiana agrichemical company formed in 2019 through the merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont, announced in 2020 that it would end production of chlorpyrifos within the year, citing declining sales.
In April 2022, the German chemical company BASF requested the cancellation of its pesticide registrations for products containing chlorpyrifos.
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“BASF does not manufacture chlorpyrifos and does not have any pesticide registrations issued by the U.S. EPA for chlorpyrifos-containing products,” the company told Fox News Digital.
No products from Corteva or BASF were included in the study linking chlorpyrifos to Parkinson’s disease.
Jill Biden says Joe’s debate performance made her wonder if he had a stroke
Former first lady Jill Biden revises her account of former President Joe Biden’s disastrous 2024 debate, now alleging she feared he was suffering a stroke. This new statement from the first lady contrasts sharply with her earlier public affirmations of his performance. Contributor Ben Domenech scrutinizes the timing and motivations behind this sudden shift.
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Former first lady Jill Biden has expressed her concerns about former President Joe Biden’s health status, noting that she feared he was having a stroke during a 2024 debate against President Donald Trump.
Biden struggled his way through the performance, with long periods of silence, confused facial expressions and stammered speech. In a recent interview with CBS, Jill Biden commented that she was “frightened.”
“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I mean, when I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh my God, he’s having a stroke,’ and it scared me to death.”
JILL BIDEN SAYS SHE THOUGHT JOE WAS HAVING A STROKE DURING HIS DISASTROUS 2024 DEBATE PERFORMANCE
A stroke occurs when there is bleeding in the brain or when blood flow to the brain is blocked, according to Mayo Clinic.
Identifying a stroke may be difficult, as symptoms can vary.
Stroke symptoms can include balance loss, weakness, slurred speech, face drooping, confusion and severe headaches. (iStock)
The American Stroke Association (ASA) identifies the following key warning signs, using the acronym “B.E. F.A.S.T.”
- B – Balance loss
- E – Eye (vision) changes
- F – Face drooping
- A – Arm weakness
- S – Speech difficulty
- T – Time to call 911
In a situation in which someone could be having a stroke, “the only” thing to do is to call 911, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
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The doctor emphasized other symptoms to watch for, including weakness on one side, slurred speech, difficulty processing information and confusion.
The ASA also warns that severe headaches can also be a sign of stroke.
At the first sign of stroke, 911 should be contacted immediately, as 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated. (iStock)
Siegel advised against giving the person an aspirin, as it could worsen bleeding in the brain if that is the cause of stroke.
With an ischemic stroke, that type of medication could be helpful.
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The ASA says 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated, which means earlier treatment leads to higher survival rates and lower risk of disability.
“In medicine, we use the term ‘time is brain,’” Siegel said. “This means that the faster you bring the patient to the emergency room, the faster they can receive emergency treatment if indicated to reopen the blocked artery in the brain, if there is one.”
Brain imaging should be done within the first several hours after seeking medical attention for a stroke, according to a top physician. (iStock)
Brain imaging can also be done on arrival at the ER, which should occur within the first several hours, Siegel said.
Anyone who is experiencing a stroke should not drive themselves to the hospital, according to the CDC. Instead, the person should get a ride or call 911 — as treatment begins inside the ambulance.
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About 80% of strokes are preventable, the American Heart Association states.
Prevention includes managing high blood pressure, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and other risk factors.
One in four survivors have another stroke within the next five years, per CDC data, so those at higher risk should prepare a prevention and treatment plan.
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Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
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Health
Single infusion of controversial drug changed severe depression symptoms within hours, study finds
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People experiencing severe depression with suicidal symptoms may not have to wait weeks for traditional antidepressants to take effect.
A recent review suggests that a single intravenous ketamine infusion can provide rapid relief for some patients.
Originally developed as an anesthetic, ketamine is a medicine that can reduce pain and, in some cases, help treat depression, but it can also be misused as a recreational drug, experts warn.
SINGLE DOSE OF POWERFUL PSYCHEDELIC CUTS DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN CLINICAL STUDY
Researchers from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine reviewed 26 clinical trials that included more than 1,100 patients. Approximately 626 received ketamine and 540 served as controls who did not take the drug.
Most of the trials included patients with major depressive disorder, but 11.5% included those with bipolar depression and 7.7% included people with both unipolar and bipolar depressive diagnoses.
A recent review suggests that a single intravenous ketamine infusion can provide rapid relief for some patients with treatment-resistant depression. (iStock)
Compared to a placebo, a single treatment significantly reduced depression in just four hours and dramatically lowered suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, the study found.
Patients reported fewer depressive symptoms after a week and reduced suicidal thoughts for up to a month after one ketamine infusion. Those who received repeated ketamine infusions showed a similar reduction of suicidal and depressive symptoms at the end of the treatment.
WHAT IS KETAMINE THERAPY? MORMON REALITY STARS TOUT CONTROVERSIAL TREATMENT
The most common adverse effects of ketamine – including headaches, numbness, dissociation (“out of body” experiences), nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances – were temporary and resolved within hours of the infusion.
Rarer, more serious side events included hospitalization, suicide attempts and suicide, but most were unrelated to ketamine, the review stated.
The analysis was published in May in JAMA Psychiatry.
Treatment-resistant depression
Major depressive disorder is a formal psychiatric diagnosis affecting approximately 280 million people globally, according to recent research.
Effective treatment involves a combination of therapy and medication, frequently antidepressants. However, for a few patients, symptoms do not respond to multiple therapies, a condition known as treatment-resistant depression, doctors say.
“When all existing treatment options fail, patients with severe depression could consider ketamine infusions.”
These patients are at a higher risk of very serious, sometimes tragic consequences, including suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and death.
“When all existing treatment options fail, patients with severe depression could consider ketamine infusions,” lead author Taeho Greg Rhee, PhD, of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This is still a safer option when compared to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).”
Compared to a placebo, a single treatment significantly reduced depression in just four hours and dramatically lowered suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, the study found. (iStock)
Traditional antidepressants stabilize mood by slowly elevating serotonin levels in the brain, but it can take weeks for the full effect to be achieved.
Ketamine, in contrast, works rapidly by blocking glutamate, a neurotransmitter that can impact emotions negatively when levels are too high in the brain, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Implications for care
The authors say their findings have two important potential clinical applications.
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First, ketamine’s rapid effects can be a life-saving treatment in the emergency room for patients presenting with suicidal ideation.
Experts caution that the medication should only be administered in closely monitored settings, such as clinics, to ensure safe treatment. (iStock)
Second, the effects of a single ketamine infusion are relatively short-lived – as almost all patients relapsed with depressive symptoms after a single infusion – so those with treatment-resistant depression will need repeated sessions.
“While intravenous ketamine is not yet FDA-approved for treating depression, it may still be used with off-label indications for those with severe depression and/or with a high risk of suicidal behaviors,” said Rhee.
Experts urge caution despite promise
Dr. Lama Bazzi, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City, has had several patients receive ketamine infusions.
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“For a small subset of patients in a major depressive episode or struggling with suicidal thoughts, intravenous ketamine can be genuinely lifesaving,” Bazzi, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “The relief they experience is almost immediate, offering them distance from the intensity of their emotions.”
However, she cautions that the medication should only be administered in closely monitored settings, such as clinics, to ensure safe treatment.
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Ketamine is not a panacea, Rhee agreed, warning of the potential risk of abuse and addiction.
“It should only be used medically,” he advised.
Ketamine’s rapid effects can be a life-saving treatment in the emergency room for patients presenting with suicidal ideation, some experts claim. (Getty Images)
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, noted in previous comments to Fox News Digital that ketamine is increasingly being used to treat severe depression, but emphasized that it should be administered under careful medical supervision because of its potential risks.
Study limitations
Although the studies compared ketamine with a placebo, some patients may have realized they were receiving the drug. This could have influenced how they reported their symptoms and how effective they perceived the treatment to be, according to the researchers.
“It should only be used medically.”
Another limitation is the small sample size of the studies, which could make the effects seem disproportionately magnified.
Also, as this was a review of many different studies, it is challenging to apply the findings to the general population, the researchers noted.
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“While long-term outcomes have not been studied, I believe that when patients are severely depressed or suicidal, ketamine is sometimes the only choice that almost always works,” Bazzi added.
Anyone interested in exploring alternative depression treatments should first consult a doctor.
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