Widespread Pesticide Atrazine Ages Brain Cells, Boosts Risk of Neurodegenerative Disease

Exposure to a widely used herbicide called atrazine (AT) can make nerve cells age faster and harm the hypothalamus, an essential part of the brain, increasing the risk of neurodegenerative disease, according to a recently released study in mice.

A complete nerve cell (neuron) structure and sufficient mature nerve cells are critical for the central nervous system to work properly. The study, published this month [Dec. 13, 2024] in Research, shows the number of nerve cells and mature nerve cells in the mouse brain “significantly decreased” after exposure to atrazine.

“These results directly proved the neurotoxicity of AT,” the researchers say.

Atrazine is a common surface water/drinking water pollutant and endocrine disruptor that poses environmental and health risks. It has been linked to reproductive complications, including fetal development problems and birth defects, and certain cancers in humans. Atrazine has also been associated with liver, kidney, and heart damage in animals, according to the CDC.