The aging population and the increasing prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative disorders are major European and international health concerns with substantial personal, societal and economic costs. In recent decades, the prevalence of late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) (nearly 98% of all AD cases) has been increasing in ways suggesting a slowly developing epidemic.

A scientific proposal that brought together Toxplus S.A. and five research groups from EU countries with a proven expertise in pesticide toxicology and in neurodegenerative diseases was recently submitted to Horizon 2020 framework.

PESTICAD aims at answering the question whether environmental contamination by pesticides plays a significant role in AD development.

HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015

Title of Proposal: Pesticides as risk factors and/or determinants in human neurodegenerative diseases: focusing on Alzheimer’s disease (PESTICAD)

Our Publications that are related to Alzheimer diseases:

1. Alzheimer's disease treated patients showed different patterns for oxidative stress and inflammation markers.

2. Hypospadias in offspring is associated with chronic exposure of parents to organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides.

3. Pesticide exposure and genetic variation in xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes interact to induce biochemical liver damage.

4. Emerging health issues from chronic pesticide exposure: innovative methodologies and effects on molecular cell and tissue level.