High Pesticide Exposure Events and Dream‐Enacting Behaviors Among US Farmers

Abstract

A BS TRACT: Background: Dream-enacting behavior is a characteristic feature of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, the most specific prodromal marker of synucleinopathies. Pesticide exposure may be associated with dream-enacting behaviors, but epidemiological evidence is limited. Objectives: To examine high pesticide exposure events in relation to dream-enacting behaviors among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study. Methods: We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine high pesticide exposure events reported from 1993 to 1997 in relation to dream-enacting behaviors assessed from 2013 to 2015 among 11,248 farmers (age 47 AE 11 years). Results: A history of dream-enacting behaviors was reported by 939 (8.3%) farmers. Compared with farmers who did not report any high pesticide exposure event, those who reported were more likely to endorse dreamenacting behaviors 2 decades later (odds ratio = 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49-2.05). The association appeared stronger when there was a long delay in washing with soap and water after the event (2.63 [95% CI, 1.62-4.27] for waiting >6 hours vs. 1.71 [95% CI, for washing within 30 minutes) and when the exposure involved the respiratory or digestive tract (2.04 [95% CI, 1.62-2.57] vs. 1.58 [95% CI, 1.29-1.93] for dermal contact only). In the analyses of specific pesticides involved, we found positive associations with two organochlorine insecticides (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and lindane), four organophosphate insecticides (phorate, ethoprop, terbufos, and parathion), two herbicides (alachlor and paraquat), and fungicides as a group. Conclusions: This study provides the first epidemiological evidence that high pesticide exposures may be associated with a higher risk of dream-enacting behaviors.

Exposure to Pesticides Predicts Prodromal Feature of Parkinson's Disease: Public Health Implications

“…Epidemiological studies, mostly in the occupational setting, have demonstrated that exposure to pesticides is a risk factor for PD, 8,9 but it has thus far remained unclear at which stage of pathology their detrimental effects are exerted. The study by Yuan and colleagues in this month's edition of Movement Disorders addressed that important gap in knowledge by demonstrating an association between high pesticide exposure events and the subsequent presence of RBD symptoms in otherwise clinically unaffected individuals 10 . Here, we reflect on these findings and discuss the public health implications, including recommendations for future work.…”

“…The study by Yuan and colleagues in this month's edition of Movement Disorders addressed that important gap in knowledge by demonstrating an association between high pesticide exposure events and the subsequent presence of RBD symptoms in otherwise clinically unaffected individuals. 10 Here, we reflect on these findings and discuss the public health implications, including recommendations for future work.…”

Towards improved screening of toxins for Parkinson’s risk

“…The French AGRICAN cohort study revealed that, after adjusting for sex, age, educational backgrounds and many other factors, there is higher PD risk with ever use of specific pesticides such as rotenone (risk ratio of 1.57, CI = 1.08-2.29) and paraquat (risk ratio of 1.43, CI = 1.17–1.75) on various crops 20 . It should be noted that a recent study also showed that exposure to acute and accidental exposure to high doses of pesticides is associated with Dream-Enacting Behaviours, which is a relatively specific prodromal symptom of PD 21 . These associations may reflect causal effects of pesticides on the risk of PD, although other explanations (e.g., residual confounding) cannot be ruled out, in particular because most studies were based on ecological pesticide exposure measurements.…”

Bibliometric analysis of scientific productions related to the use of the word pesticide and associated terms

“…Several studies address the relationship between pesticide use and human mortality (ABU BAKAR et al, 2023;BAI et al, 2023) and the connection between pesticides and diseases (JOKANOVIĆ, 2018;YAN et al, 2018). In addition, some studies investigate the relationship between pesticides and aggression and pesticides and exposure (LERRO et al, 2021;MILONE et al, 2021;YUAN et al, 2022). Researchers also address the issue of the relationship between pesticides and hospitalization (CHEFIRAT et al, 2023;TAO et al, 2022).…”