A new study has linked exposure to certain pesticides to a significantly increased risk of developing motor neurone disease (MND), a devastating and incurable condition that progressively destroys nerve cells controlling movement. The findings add to growing concern about environmental and occupational risk factors for the disease, which affects around 5,000 people in the UK at any one time and typically leads to death within two to five years of diagnosis.

Researchers found that exposure to certain pesticides could raise the risk of developing MND by as much as 70 per cent, though the article does not specify the exact chemicals, cohort size or study methodology in detail. Experts are calling for further investigation into occupational and agricultural exposure as a potential preventable risk factor, given that the causes of MND remain largely unclear and treatment options are limited.