A study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine has explored the link between occupational exposure to pesticides and the risk of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The systematic review and meta-analysis found that occupational pesticide exposure is associated with an approximately 60% increased risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a form of MND. This finding is based on a relatively small number of predominantly retrospective case-control studies.
Experts caution that the evidence is suggestive rather than definitive and does not establish a causal relationship. Limitations include reliance on self-reported exposure, which may lead to recall bias, and the combination of many different pesticide classes, preventing conclusions about specific substances.
The review also highlights that agricultural workers are exposed to numerous other hazards, and farming practices and regulations have changed significantly over the decades covered by the studies. Stronger causal inferences would require large prospective studies with quantitative exposure assessment.