Neurotoxins and Neurodegenerative Disorders in Japanese-American Men Living in Hawaii
Abstract
Pesticide exposure has been associated with increased Parkinson's disease (PD) risk. Results from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study (HAAS) supported by this project showed PD risk doubled in individuals who worked on plantations over 20 years. Others have found high organochlorine levels in brains from decedents with PD relative to controls and dopaminergic neuron toxicity has been demonstrated in vitro but not proven in humans. This supplement aim was to measure organochlorine levels in all brains from the HAAS archive and to examine the association of brain organochlorine levels with numerous clinical and pathological endpoints obtained through prior and ongoing research. Frozen occipital blocks from 421 brains were sent to Dr. E.D. Pellizzari of Research Triangle Institute for organochlorine level assays. These are complete. Preliminary analyses demonstrate that a measurable a-chlordane level was significantly more frequently in brains with Lewy bodies (including PD cases) than in those without Lewy bodies (p=0.03). Additional analyses investigating relationships between brain organochlorine levels and substantia nigra neuron densities, striatal dopamine levels, brain glial fibrillary acidic protein levels, and cognitive ability are planned.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA435080
Entities
People
- G. W. Ross