In an exciting development for the Parkinson’s disease (PD) community, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned two solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene, that are found in many common industry and household products such as cleaners, lubricants, and glue. Both have been found to contribute to the increased risk of various cancers and other health conditions. TCE exposure has been linked to an increased risk of PD.
The evidence that links Parkinson’s disease and TCE has accumulated over the past decade. One recent paper that was particularly alarming compared rates of PD at Camp Lejeune, a US Marine Corps training facility in North Carolina, whose water supply was contaminated by TCE from the 1950s to the 1980s, with rates of PD from Camp Pendleton, whose waters were not contaminated. The study reviewed medical records of 340,489 service members and found that the risk of PD was 70% higher in veterans who had been stationed at Camp Lejeune, compared with veterans stationed at Camp Pendleton.
APDA is proud to support research efforts that delve into the science behind the increased risk of PD from TCE. Dr. Briana de Miranda’s lab has shown that TCE not only causes death of dopaminergic neurons, but also induces other PD pathologies such as the accumulation of phosphorylated a-synuclein and Tau. Dr. de Miranda’s APDA-funded project investigated molecular approaches to protecting neurons against TCE-induced damage. Dr. Tim Greenamyre, a member of APDA’s Scientific Advisory Board and Director of APDA’s Center for Advanced Research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Dr. Dr Miranda reviewed how TCE causes damage to dopamine neurons, summarizing the molecular evidence that the EPA was able to consider in their decision.
As a member of the Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council (UPAC), APDA joins with many other PD organizations to advocate for PD-related causes, including this current EPA ban on TCE. We are proud of every advocate who pushed this EPA towards this monumental decision!