Parkinson's risk could increase with exposure to common chemical, study suggests

A common chemical that is widespread in the U.S. has been linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, researchers say.

In a recent study published in the journal Neurology, researchers found a "small but measurable increase in Parkinson's risk" linked to trichloroethylene (TCE), which has been found to spread in the air, water and soil in the U.S.

TCE is a chlorinated solvent commonly used for degreasing metal parts and in industrial cleaning, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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The chemical is regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act due to the potential risks of liver cancer, kidney cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 

It has also been linked to damage to the liver, kidneys, central nervous system, immune system and reproductive organs, as well as fetal heart defects, per the EPA.

Previous research has found that TCE, when inhaled or ingested, can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and cause damage to neurons.

In the most recent study, researchers from the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., analyzed data for nearly 222,000 older adults recently diagnosed with Parkinson's, along with more than 1.1 million people who did not have the disease, according to a press release.

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The researchers also compared patients who lived close to facilities that emit TCE compared to those whose homes were farther away.

"We found a nationwide relationship between ambient TCE and Parkinson's disease risk and some compelling patterns of high risk in individuals who live near certain facilities that emit TCE compared to those whose homes are farther away," Dr. Brittany Krzyzanowski, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Barrow, told Fox News Digital.

Outdoor TCE concentrations were found to be highest in the Rust Belt region of the U.S. and several smaller areas throughout the nation, she said.

"I was not surprised to see an association between TCE exposure and Parkinson's disease risk because this link has been established in a number of studies," the researcher said. 

"However, this is the first study linking ambient TCE in neighborhood-level air pollution to Parkinson's risk nationwide - so it's somewhat surprising to see that TCE in the outdoor air in our neighborhoods could impact the risk of disease."

The study used observational data, Krzyzanowski said, and does not prove that exposure to the chemical causes Parkinson's.

"Our study was also limited to Medicare-aged individuals, so our results do not speak to the risk of early onset Parkinson's disease cases," she added.

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Dr. Aaron Ellenbogen, neurologist and lead physician of the Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center at the Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders, confirmed the findings are "not new information."

"The first case of Parkinson's that was associated with trichloroethylene exposure was published in 1969," Ellenbogen, who was not involved in the new study, told Fox News Digital.

Trichloroethylene, he said, "is used in dry-cleaning, industrial solvents and a wide variety of applications in industry and even at home."

TCE is one of many chemicals that has been associated with the development of Parkinson's disease, Ellenbogen said.

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"It is not clear that the chemicals directly cause Parkinson's disease, but it may reflect a complex interplay between environmental exposure and a genetic predisposition of susceptibility that leads to the development of Parkinson's disease," he added.

Dr. Guy Schwartz, co-director of the Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center at Stony Brook Medicine on Long Island, New York, warned that TCE is "ubiquitous" in the U.S.

"It is present in common, everyday life materials, such as perfumes, cleaning wipes, glue and ink, and in the manufacturing of soap, paper and plastics," Schwartz, who was also not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 

"It also appears that TCE is present in air and soil, and exposure to it in minute amounts over many years - perhaps over decades - may be necessary to set in motion the biochemical cascade that leads to premature death of neurons, as is the case in Parkinson's disease."

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Schwartz pointed out, however, that TCE is not the only risk factor to consider.

"We shouldn't discount the possibility that exposure to multiple neurotoxins results in the 'perfect storm' leading to disease onset," he said. "Some chemicals are better established than others, and more widely accepted in the medical community, but almost certainly there are others that have not been studied rigorously and potentially are even more deleterious to our health."

Schwartz noted that the study suggests Parkinson's disease may be linked not only to advanced age, but also to the cumulative effects of long-term exposure to neurotoxins - which could help explain why the disease often develops later in life.

Avoiding TCE exposure can be challenging, Ellenbogen noted. 

"There is likely some benefit to using medical-grade air purifiers, filtering water and avoiding plastic water bottles, which may contribute to lowering risk," she said.

Lead researcher Krzyzanowski encourages individuals to be aware of the previous studies linking TCE exposure to Parkinson's disease risk and to check to see whether the chemical has contaminated their own community. 

"If so, there are ways to volunteer and get involved with community groups concerning environmental advocacy and remediation," she said.

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The study was supported in part by the American Academy of Neurology and the Barrow Neurological Foundation.

Fox News Digital reached out to several manufacturers of TCE for comment.