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Agreed. The variables are simply too numerous for us to draw conclusions about what professions might be more conducive to PD. Exposure to certain chemical elements might indeed be a major factor, as might be personality. Lifestyles, life experience, and genetics certainly are additional important factors to be considered--all in combination. As a scientist, I prefer data to anecdote, but when someone mentioned welders and manganese exposure, I could not help but think of my dad, who was a professional welder some 50 years. No PD. If he ever knew of a fellow welder (being in the Pipefitters Union, he knew hundreds) that became afflicted with PD, he never told me. Having spent over three decades in industry and manufacturing myself, I also have known hundreds of welders personally, and have known none who came to suffer from PD. But, that could be coincidental, rather than the rule. Plus, since I've been in education the past ten years, I have no way of knowing which of them might have PD today. Even if I did, the data are so variable and inconclusive that their analysis often results in speculation, not fact. Still, we keep trying. Maybe "A" or "B" are irrelevant, especially when "C" or "D" is a factor. But mybe "A", "F", "Q" and "Z" together do add up to something significant. That's why all of your contributions are so valuable. Thanks. Scott >===== Original Message From Parkinson's Information Exchange Network <[log in to unmask]> ===== >Unfortunately, you can't necessarily jump to conclusions about >what causes higher rates of PD in certain professions. It may >not be ovious, and it may be wrong even if it is obvious. If so, >you end up spending scarce resources controlling A, which is not >really related to the disease, when you might have actually >accomplished something by controlling B. > >In the case of PD, there appear to be higher than expected >occurrence among physicians, dentists, farmers, teachers, >lawyers, scientists, and religion-related jobs. It is hard to >see the common element here, unless it is related to personality. >(Reference: Goldman SM, et al, Occupation and parkinsonism in >three movement disorders clinics. Neurology. 2005 Nov >8;65(9):1430-5.) Scott E. Antes Department of Anthropology Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5200 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn