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Bridget M. Kuehn

JAMA. 2008;299(20):2375-2376.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Chicago—A chemical, a common class of drugs, and lifestyle factors are all tied to increased risk of cognitive decline or neurological disease, according to findings presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in April.

Workplace formaldehyde exposure, such as that experienced by beauticians, may be a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (Photo credit: Heinz Linke/iStockphoto.com)

Studies highlighted at the meeting linked formaldehyde exposure to an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the use of anticholinergic drugs to faster cognitive decline, and heavy drinking and smoking to an earlier onset of Alzheimer disease. Another study found that having a larger hippocampus may protect against the development of dementia.

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Exposure to formaldehyde may increase an individual's risk of developing ALS, according to results of a large prospective cohort study. Previously, case-control studies linked pesticide exposure to ALS, but this is . . . [Full Text of this Article]