Your brain has been badly insulted stay away from this stuff.
http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=126485&CultureCode=en
Scientists have found that low-level exposure to organophosphates
(OPs) produces lasting decrements in neurological and cognitive
function. Memory and information processing speed are affected to a
greater degree than other cognitive functions such as language.
The systematic review of the literature was carried out by
researchers at UCL and the Open University. It is the first to attempt a
quantitative evaluation of the data assimilated from 14 studies and
more than 1,600 participants. The researchers used meta-analysis to
obtain an overview of the literature and their findings are published in
the journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology.
“Meta-analysis combines the results of several studies and moves the
discussion away from individual pieces of research, towards an overview
of a body of literature,” says lead author Dr Sarah Mackenzie Ross (UCL
Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology).
“This is considered to be the method of choice in situations where
research findings may be used to inform public policy,” explains
Professor Chris McManus (UCL Clinical, Educational & Health
Psychology), co-author of the study.
Dr Mackenzie Ross continues: “This is the first time anyone has
analysed the literature concerning the neurotoxicity of organophosphate
pesticides, using the statistical technique of meta-analysis.
“The analysis reveals that the majority of well-designed studies
undertaken over the last 20 years find a significant association between
low-level exposure to organophosphates and impaired cognitive
function.”
Pesticides prevent millions of people from starving to death and from
contracting disease, but they are also harmful to humans under certain
circumstances. Derived from World War II nerve gas agents,
organophosphate pesticides are the most widely used insecticides in the
world. They are used extensively in agriculture, by the military and
also for domestic purposes.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) organophosphate
pesticides are one of the most hazardous pesticides to vertebrate
animals, responsible for many cases of poisoning worldwide.
The toxic effects of high level poisoning are well established but
the possibility that long-term low-level exposure to OPs in doses below
that causing acute toxicity causes ill health is controversial.
“In the UK a number of occupational groups have expressed concern
that their health has been affected by exposure to organophosphates,”
explains Dr Virginia Harrison (Open University), co-author of the study.
This includes sheep farmers, who between 1988 and 1991 were required to
dip sheep yearly in pesticide formulations containing OPs. Between 1985
and 1998 more than 600 reports of ill health following exposure to
sheep dip were received by a government adverse reaction surveillance
scheme.
Other groups affected include:
(1) Gulf War Veterans, who were exposed to pesticides on a daily
basis during their tour of duty to protect them from pests such as sand
flies, mosquitoes and fleas which carry infectious diseases
(2) airline pilots and cabin crew, who can be exposed to organophosphates in engine oil.
The researchers hope their findings will be of interest to Government
advisory committees and departments who are currently reviewing the
neurotoxicity of low level exposure to OPs; as well as farmers, Gulf War
veterans and aviation workers who believe their health has been
affected by exposure to OPs.
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