ICYMI: Large Study of Marine Veterans Links Common Solvent to 70% Higher Risk for Parkinson’s

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Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in the 70s and 80s were exposed to water heavily contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical solvent often found in cleaning solutions and paint strippers.

Decades later, the veterans exposed to TCE had a 70% higher chance of developing Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by tremors and uncontrollable movements.

The epidemiological study published May 15 in JAMA Neurology tracked medical records of 172,128 Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune between 1975 and 1985, compared with 168,361 Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton in California with uncontaminated water.

Big Picture: The study is one of the largest to date linking Parkinson's, which affects millions worldwide, to the widely used industrial solvent still being used today.

Read More: Widely used chemical strongly linked to Parkinson’s disease. Science

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About the Author

Christine Won

Christine is a former staff writer/editor for BrainFacts.org. She is an award-winning investigative journalist with a background in daily news reporting and industry copywriting. A University of Illinois graduate, she holds a degree in news-editorial journalism and English.