title: Olfactory Function in Latino Farmworkers: Subclinical Neurological Effects of Pesticide Exposure in a Vulnerable Population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared olfactory function in pesticide-exposed Latino farmworkers and nonfarmworkers to explore its use as a subclinical indicator of neurological pesticide effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 304 current farmworkers and 247 nonfarmworkers. All completed odor identification (14 odors) and threshold tests (16 concentrations of n-butanol) using a well-established methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Farmworkers reported significantly greater lifetime pesticide exposure. Performance on both olfactory tests declined with age. Odor identification performance did not differ between groups. For odor threshold, farmworkers needed significantly higher concentrations to detect the odor. Results were unchanged when adjusted for sex, age, and smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Olfactory function differences between farmworkers and nonfarmworkers suggest possible neurological effects. Because declining olfactory function is an early symptom of Parkinson disease and related conditions, it is a possible subclinical indicator of neurodegenerative disease in this vulnerable worker population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health (Dr Quandt, Ms McLeod); Center for Worker Health (Drs Quandt, Walker, Chen, Arcury); Department of Neurology (Dr Walker); Department of Biostatistical Science, Division of Public Health Sciences (Ms Talton, Dr Chen); Department of Family and Community Medicine (Dr Arcury, Mr Summers), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Sara A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Quandt
authors.forename: Francis O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Jennifer W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Talton
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: Haiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Diane K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Arcury
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000187:drug effects*; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides