Study Finds Commonly Used Herbicide Atrazine Accelerates the Aging of Brain Cells

• A recent study reveals that atrazine, a widely used herbicide in the U.S., may accelerate brain cell aging and increase the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by damaging neurons and prematurely aging stem cells in the hypothalamus.
• Atrazine is the second-most used herbicide globally, with over 70 million pounds applied annually in the U.S. It contaminates groundwater, drinking water and the environment.
• Mice exposed to atrazine showed reduced mature nerve cells, overactive brain immune cells, and signs of accelerated brain aging, including mitochondrial damage and lipofuscin buildup, which are markers of cellular aging.
• Atrazine has been linked to reproductive issues, birth defects, cancers and organ damage in previous studies. While the EPA has banned it in Hawaii and some territories, it continues to allow its use on the U.S. mainland and is considering increasing acceptable levels in watersheds.
• Researchers urge greater awareness of atrazine’s risks and its potential link to neurodegenerative diseases. Policymakers are encouraged to balance the economic benefits of atrazine against its significant health risks, as public health concerns grow.

A groundbreaking study published last month in Research reveals that atrazine, a widely used herbicide in the United States but banned in Europe, may be accelerating brain cell aging and increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Atrazine, a common weed killer, is the second-most used herbicide globally, with over 70 million pounds applied annually in the U.S. alone. Farmers rely on it to protect crops, and highway crews use it to clear weeds along roads. But this chemical doesn’t just stay in the fields – it seeps into groundwater, contaminates drinking water and lingers in the environment.

While the European Union banned atrazine in 2004 due to its pervasive presence in groundwater, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to allow its use, even considering a proposal to nearly triple the acceptable levels in watersheds.

The new study sheds light on how atrazine exposure harms the brain, specifically targeting the hypothalamus, a critical region responsible for regulating hormones, stress responses, metabolism and reproduction.

Researchers found that atrazine damages nerve cells (neurons) and triggers a stress response in the brain that prematurely ages stem cells, the body’s natural repair system. These aged stem cells lose their ability to divide, grow and repair damage, leaving the hypothalamus vulnerable to long-term harm. […]

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