31
Jan
(Beyond Pesticides, January 31, 2025) A recent cross-sectional study in Heliyon highlights the link between sleep disorders in Thai farmers and pesticide exposure. The authors find pesticide exposure as an important risk factor for sleep disorders after surveying 27,334 farmers over the age of 20 who had work experience for at least five years. The importance of sleep health is reflected both physically and mentally, as studies find “sleep deficiency increase[s] mortality and various health complications, including hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, mood disorders, and neurodegenerative disorder.” Additional studies find that these issues are compounded when sleep health is affected by environmental factors such as pesticide exposure. (See previous Beyond Pesticides’ coverage here and here.) The researchers report: “The study found a positive association of 19 individual pesticides (twelve insecticides, two herbicides, and five fungicides). Some associations demonstrated a dose-response pattern. Additionally, the study revealed that women are at a higher risk of sleep-related issues with pesticide exposure compared to males. These results not only substantiate existing literature but also unveil several new individual pesticides that may impact sleep health.” Focusing on study participants in Thailand, which is “characterized by heavy pesticide use and minimal protective measures, […]
Posted in Benomyl, Brain Effects, Carbaryl, Carbendazim, Carbofuran, Chlordane, Chlorpyrifos, copper sulfate, DDT, Diuron, Endosulfan, Farmworkers, Imidacloprid, Metalaxyl, Methamidophos, Methomyl, Mevinphos, Occupational Health, Paraquat, Sleep Disorders | No Comments »
06
Dec
(Beyond Pesticides, December 6, 2023) A study published in Antioxidants finds prenatal and early life exposure, usually after birth (perinatal), to glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) induce oxidative stress in the brain, causing damage and negatively affecting melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone responsible for regulating circadian rhythm to mitigate sleep disorders. Disruption of melatonin levels also has implications for the development of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, as melatonin is a neuroprotector against neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging. Additionally, GBH can alter molecules in the pineal gland in the brain, resulting in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Levels of inadequate sleep patterns are rising among the global population. Reports find variability in sleep duration results in higher rates of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Since sleep is an essential factor in normal brain development, disturbance in sleep patterns, such as sleeping too much or too little, can result in long-term associations with the brain’s white matter integrity (responsible for age-dependent cognitive function). The study warns, “Since decreased levels of the important antioxidant and neuroprotector melatonin have been associated with an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders, this demonstrates the need to consider the melatonin hormone system as a central […]
Posted in Brain Effects, Children, Glyphosate, Oxidative Stress, Sleep Disorders | No Comments »
