Most used only a few volunteers, and the ability of these tests to show a significant result on the basis of so few subjects was heavily criticized. But the subcommittee's report may be anticlimactic with respect to the organophosphate insecticides being reassessed. EPA is under a deadline for this work that is sure to pass before the subcommittee's recommendations are made and an EPA policy approved. In the meantime, Mulkey's stance that no human tests will be considered make all those done so far unacceptable, regardless of their scientific value. One such model appears to reproduce the neurochemical, neuropathological, and behavioral features of the disease through chronically exposing laboratory rats to the pesticide rotenone.
Rotenone is a common insecticide that is perceived in many quarters as relatively innocuous.
It is an organic or natural alternative to synthetic pesticides because it is a natural product. It is often used in reservoirs in the United States to kill nuisance fish. The protocol for the model was simple, the goal being to use low dosages for long periods of time. Male rats were given rotenone by continuous infusion via minipumps for anywhere from 2 days to 3 months. The animals became progressively slower in movements and reflexes and more rigid.