~ Written by Mallika Mohanty
With age comes a lot of perks; an inherent sense of wisdom, more time to spend on yourself and loved ones, and typically, if finances don't act as an inhibitor, a generally more relaxed lifestyle. But like the Greek philosopher, Pythagoras has so famously said, there are indeed two sides to every story. The phenomenon of aging brings its own volume of complications, one of the most biologically relevant being the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. To contextualize, neurodegeneration, simply put, encapsulates any "pathological condition primarily affecting neurons''. Essentially, diseases of the sort are often more than not, incurable in nature and are conditions in which neurons progressively degenerate and/or die. From a broad perspective, this either affects the sufferer's movement/mobility (medically termed as Ataxias) or mental competence/functioning (medically termed as dementia). A good example of the former is Parkinson's Disease (PD) while for the latter- Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
While the onset of these conditions in some cases may be purely genetic and inheritable, there are possibilities of their outset being due to medical reasons including but not limited to alcoholism, tumors, and strokes. Conversely, exposure to toxins, chemicals, and viruses have been said to contribute to their genesis within an individual. And just like many of the world's greatest questions left unanswered, sometimes its emergence is purely spontaneous with absolutely no rhyme or reason.
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the second most commonly seen disorder that falls under the wide umbrella of neurodegenerative diseases. Like its other sister diseases, it is caused by the loss/death or impairment of neurons in the brain, but for PD particularly, the affected neurons are those found in the deeper parts of the brain known as the basal ganglia and the substantia nigra. The neurons present in the substantia nigra are responsible for the production of a commonly heard neurotransmitter known as dopamine. As such, their degeneration results in a subsequent reduction of the substance in the body of the affected individual. This brain part coupled with the striatum work by sending impulses back and forth between the spinal cord and the brain (the two component organs of the central nervous system). On the other hand, the basal ganglia (with the cerebellum) ensures that this transfer of impulse is seamless, smooth, and fluid. In Layman's Terms, the dying of these neurons and hence brain parts means that there is an eventual shutdown of mobility and rigidity, leaving the patient ridden with symptoms such as tremors, slowness, stiffness, and balance problems which progressively become more dominant/prevalent in the afflicted individual.
The absolute horror of slowly losing control of one's body is a difficult idea to digest but is a harsh reality for a good percentage of the aging population. As such, solutions to reduce the risk of its onset, at least prematurely, are being heavily discussed and contemplated. Yet, to formulate such a strategy for prevention, a notion regarding the triggers of its genesis must be set. Apart from the obvious genetic factors and medical conditions discussed prior, what seemed to provide food for thought was its outset due to the exposure to chemicals and toxins i.e. environmental factors.
This idea has been contemplated in the past, but researchers only now seem to be coming to the consensus that a complex blend of genetics and environment triggers its onset. Despite trials to extract evidence regarding the link between environmental factors and PD still being in the running, with most results being inconclusive, it has been suggested that chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides used in farming and traffic or industrial pollution may be a significant cause to be taken into account. This idea was only investigated in recent decades through experimental studies that examine the suggested role of chemicals/toxins in the development of PD, particularly the herbicide Paraquat (PQ). With the 1976 discovery of the MPTP compound, the relationship between this 'neurotoxin' and PD was established and due to the extreme structural similarity between this compound and Paraquat, there has been a growing cloud of concern regarding its use, especially in an agricultural context where exposure to this increases tenfold. In addition, it poses a threat to the rural community in which the substance is used.
However, due to its ban in multiple nations after the recognition of the threats it poses, obtaining a sample size large enough to ensure a strong enough argument and ultimately establish a causational relationship, has become nearly impossible. What this does in turn, is allow regulations surrounding its use to remain relatively lenient, leaving rural populations in nations without bans employed on the usage PQ, probably more vulnerable and susceptible to PD. A phenomenon often observed in agricultural regions, is leaching. It is explained as "the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to rain and irrigation". For farmers using neurotoxins in their farms to encourage fertility, the runoff of these harmful substances into nearby water bodies is not uncommon and the consumption of water from such sources considered non-potable or contaminated (often seen in cases of extreme poverty), can once again trigger the onset of premature Parkinson's.
Despite the idea still being under review, the lack of regulations surrounding the usage of PQ is honestly troubling to hear. For developing nations, heavily reliant on their agricultural sectors run by workers with improper access to finances to fund their ventures, these farmers often resort to cheaper alternatives to carry out their production, such as neurotoxins like Paraquat. This poses a threat not only to the consumers of this agricultural produce but to the vast rural populations engaging in such activities as well. As such, a conclusive report on the relationship between PD and PQ is necessary to inhibit an increase in cases amongst the aging population.
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