Pesticide Exposure and Its Impact on the Human Nervous System

Presenter: Molly Jane Gallagher

Faculty Sponsor: Reena Randhir

School: Springfield Technical Community College

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM, Auditorium, A4

ABSTRACT


Pesticides were developed to deter agricultural pests and have contributed significantly to increased crop yields and the expansion of modern agriculture that we see today. However, their widespread use has also resulted in unintended adverse effects on human health. Many broad- spectrum pesticides such as organophosphates, carbamates, and organochlorines, consist of chemical compounds that lack pest specificity, leading to collateral harm to plants, microbes, animals, and humans. Pesticides can move from a targeted source to a non-target organism through environmental factors such as rain and runoff. Scientific research indicates that exposure to these chemicals disrupts human neurological function, often resulting in long-term irreversible damage. This systematic literature review studies the relationship between the widely used pesticides and their impact on the nervous system. It focuses on effects on common degenerative neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s. It further covers effects on developmental delays and neurological behavioral disorders such as autism, depression, and anxiety. The key modes of action are acetylcholinesterase inhibition, sodium channel disruption, GABA receptor blockage, and oxidative stress induction that are often persistent and not easily reversible. Sharing this information will help promote more effective regulatory policies that prevent environmental and neurological damage and support remedial efforts to address existing pollutants. Future research should focus on environmentally and human health friendly natural pesticides. This research also addresses the mode of action of chemicals within pesticides on neurological function and examines ways to prevent pesticide-related harm.

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