Pesticides linked to neurological problems in farmers

An ongoing study of farm health finds disturbing news about the link between prolonged insecticide use and neurological disorders. Researchers in the ongoing Agricultural Health Study have looked at nearly 19-thousand farmers in Iowa and North Carolina. Doctor Freya Kamel says they found many of the producers telling them about similar disorders. “Symptoms that are very general like headache or fatigue,” she says, and also symptoms that reflect movement like tremor or weakness, as well as trouble with attention and reflexes — cognitive abilities. Kamel says there was little difference between the Iowa and North Carolina results. This is important because the two states have very different farming practices, so she says this suggests that the association they’re seeing is common to farming in general and not relative to farming practices in one state or the other. Kamel emphasizes that many times symptoms were not the result of an accident or single incident. She says they don’t just see the pesticide-nervous relationship in people who’ve had a poisoning episode, but also in people who have used pesticides commonly in their work. Kamel says producers who’ll be applying pesticides have to attend training classes in using the powerful chemicals, and should follow guidelines they learn there to protect themselves. Classes do provide information on how to minimize exposure to pesticides, and they do present very useful advice. She says it’s not clear if that can prevent any exposure that would be unhealthy. More information on the Agricultural Health Study can be found on-line at www.aghealth.org