Organophosphates Linked to Neural Disorders

Researchers have found that exposure to organophosphate chemicals, such as pesticides and nerve gases, inhibits the activity of the neuropathy target esterase (NTE) gene, which is known to be involved in neural development. Their findings were published March 17, 2003, in the online edition of Nature Genetics.

Investigators at the Salk Institute (La Jolla, CA, USA) found that mice bred to lack the NTE gene died before birth. However, when exposed to experimental organophosphates and examined over a prolonged period, mice with only one copy of the NTE gene exhibited behavior similar to ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder).

Mice with only one NTE copy had a 40% decrease in the NTE enzyme produced by the NTE gene. The gene is active in parts of the brain controlling movement, including the hippocampus, the cerebellum and the spinal cord.

"There have been anecdotal links made between rises in ADHD, Parkinson's disease and other disorders, and exposure to pesticides,” explained senior author Dr. Carrolee Barlow, an adjunct faculty member at the Salk Institute. "There also has been suspicion of a link to Gulf War syndrome. But scientists have been focusing on enzymes that act on acetylcholine neurotransmitters. This study shows that there may indeed be a genetic connection that explains how organophosphates can cause these reactions; it is just not what we assumed it would be.”




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