In recent decades, the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been increasing at a rate unlike any other neurodegenerative disease. In comparison to Alzheimer's disease, which increased 3.2%, the percentage for PD is high, rising 60.7% between 1990 and 2021 (Blauwendraat, 2025, p. 2). Despite this increase, the disease is said to be “largely preventable,” if it weren’t for the chemicals that cause it being all around us (George, 2025).
An opinion piece titled The Clue to Unlocking Parkinson’s May Be All Around Us by Nicholas Kristof discusses a few of these chemicals, including pesticides and those used in dry cleaning. In the article, Kristof first highlights paraquat, an herbicide that has been used for decades to kill weeds on golf courses and fields. Although paraquat’s use has effectively kept nature clear of unwanted plants, it has simultaneously been linked to the rising rate of PD. This link, however, has never been stated by a scientist as causational, but rather correlational, allowing Syngenta, the developer of paraquat, and the Environmental Protection Agency to ignore any criticisms and allow for its continued use in the United States (Kristof, 2025). Although Syngenta maintains ignorance of any detrimental effects of exposure to paraquat publicly, it has published internal papers in which it noted “tremors in mice and rats,” similar to those seen in individuals with PD, subsequent to large doses of the herbicide (Kristof, 2025). Additional chemicals Kristof highlights in his article are trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, which are used in dry cleaning. A study involving Camp Lejeune, a Marine base located near a dry cleaner, found that veterans of the camp had a “70% greater chance for developing Parkinson’s than those who served at another Marine base, Camp Pendleton,” due to their exposure to the chemicals involved in dry cleaning (Kristof, 2025). Despite the article mainly focusing on the environmental factors that contribute to the ever-increasing rate of PD, it doesn’t ignore the link between Parkinson’s disease and certain genes that may cause individuals to be at a higher risk. However, Kristof leaves genetics experts, like Dr. Mary Makarious, to establish the research and commentary there.
Mary Makarious, Ph.D., a biomedical data scientist, recently spoke at Loyola University Chicago, where she presented some of her research that focuses on the global genetics of Parkinson’s. In her presentation, she acknowledged the link between environmental factors, like pesticides, and PD, but explained that most of her research focuses on the genetics behind the disease. A significant portion of her presentation focused on the necessity of expanding PD research to global populations, especially those in low- to middle-income countries. She emphasized the urgency of doing so because a substantial amount of Parkinson’s research so far has gathered data solely from individuals in European countries. This is an issue, she argues, because these samples often can’t be generalized to other populations, meaning that a significant portion of the world is ignored when it comes to Parkinson’s disease. Despite genes playing a smaller role in predicting PD diagnoses as opposed to environmental exposure, Dr. Makarious emphasized that the research she and other genetics organizations are doing will help facilitate both earlier diagnoses for the disease as well as establish treatments that influence the disease’s progression (Blauwendraat et al., 2025).
While Dr. Makarious’ presentation focused on identifying the genetic basis of Parkinson’s disease on a global scale, Kristof’s article exemplified to readers the everyday chemicals they may have been exposed to that could be increasing their risk. Despite their different research routes, both individuals provide valuable insight into the field of PD.
References
Blauwendrrat, C., Noyce, A. J., Mata, I. F., Screven, L. A., Solle, J., Dumanis, S. B., Riley, E. A., Periñan, M. T., Njideka Okubadejo, Klein, C., Morris, H. R., & Singleton, A. B. (2025). Tackling a disease on a global scale, the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program, GP2: A new generation of opportunities. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 112, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.07.014
George, J. (2025, August 29). Parkinson’s Largely Is a Preventable Disease. MedpageToday. https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/parkinsonsdisease/117235
Kristof, N. (2025, September 8). Opinion | The Clue to Unlocking Parkinson’s May Be All Around Us. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/opinion/parkinsons-pesticides-chemicals.html?searchResultPosition=1
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