# AGING AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS

> **NIH NIH R01** · PARKINSON'S INSTITUTE · 1992 · $243,135

## Abstract

The long-term objective of this proposal is to study the relationship
between the aging process, neurodegenerative diseases of aging, and
neurotoxic exposure.  The specific aims of this project are designed to
test the hypotheses that exogenous exposure to a neurotoxin can result in a
neurodegenerative disorder that (1) may occur on a delayed basis and (2)
may be progressive in nature.  The project represents a 5-year cohort study
of a well-defined group of 81 humans, who, based on operationally defined
and empirically validated criteria, were exposed to a neurotoxin that is
known to cause degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra (the same
area of a neurotoxin that is affected in Parkinson's disease); these
individuals are currently either mildly affected, to have no clinical
evidence of parkinsonism.  This cohort, along with a comparison group of 30
comparable but unexposed individuals, will be evaluated annually using four
neurologic assessment measures (the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating
Scale [UPDRS] Motor Examination, Hoehn and Yahr staging, the
neuropsychological assessments (Stroop Word-Color Test and the Category
Naming Test); examiners will be masked as to exposure history.  Position
emission tomography (PET) will be performed biannually to assess striatal
dopamine content.  If it is found that a neurotoxic insult can induce a
progressive degenerative disease months or even years after exposure, it
could provide important clues as to the cause of Parkinson's disease, as
well as other neurodegenerative disease of aging.  Further, if either PET
or neuropsychological tests prove to have predictive value regarding the
onset of parkinsonism, it could lead to a new therapeutic strategy aimed at
preventing Parkinson's disease, since several agents are currently being
tested to see if they slow or halt disease progression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3120896
- **Project number:** 7R01AG009121-03
- **Recipient organization:** PARKINSON'S INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** James William LANGSTON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $243,135
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 1990-04-01 → 1995-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3120896

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3120896, AGING AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS (7R01AG009121-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3120896. Licensed CC0.

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