In a joint research project between the University of Montreal and Harvard University, scientists have successfully demonstrated a link between exposure to pesticides and an increase in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The new research, published in the Journal of Paediatrics, found that even low exposure to organophosphate pesticides resulted in a significant increase in the risk of ADHD in children in the general population.
Organophosphates are commonly used in insecticides and herbicides, as well as additives in solvents, plasticizers and extremely high-pressure lubricants. The report explores the direct correlation between the amount of pesticide exposure and ADHD risk, with children experiencing a 50% chance of developing ADHD with just a tenfold increase in pesticide exposure.
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