LONDON (Reuters Health) - British scientists said on Friday they are studying whether exposure to pesticides could be linked to the development of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive condition that strikes the motor system, gradually robbing patients of muscle control, balance and coordination.

Professor David Coggon, chairman of the Government's Advisory Committee on Pesticides, said that a review of all published studies had been ordered as a routine precaution.

The move follows concern that prolonged exposure to certain pesticides could act as a nerve toxin and trigger Parkinson's by stopping brain calls from producing sufficient amounts of the nerve-transmitting chemical dopamine.

Studies of people living in rural areas have shown they are at higher risk of developing the disease. But Coggan told Reuters Health most of the evidence came from studies that relied on people's memories of their pesticide exposure and might not accurately identify which chemicals they were exposed to.

"On the other hand, we might find that within the literature there are several studies that have suggested links with a specific pesticide or a specific class of pesticides. If there was evidence of a specific association then in that situation we might say this looks more suspicious and we probably ought to do research in more detail," he said.

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