Effects of Pesticide Exposure on Cognitive Functions in Agricultural Workers: A Systematic Review

AIM: The aim of this systematic review was to explore how pesticide exposure affected agricultural workers’ cognitive abilities. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, and EBSCOhost/CINAHL Complete databases for relevant literature covering the period from 2014 to 2024. The Preferred Reporting Elements for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist was followed. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. The review protocol was registered in the International Register of Prospective Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) [CRD42024498818]. RESULTS: In total, 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Most of the included studies showed that agricultural workers’ cognitive abilities were negatively impacted by pesticide exposure. This was particularly associated with problems in language, visual memory, complex attention, and perceptual-motor functions. On the other hand, a few included studies found that pesticide exposure had no negative effect or only a limited effect on cognitive functions. This was due to confounding factors such as age, education level, and pesticide exposure time. CONCLUSION: Agricultural workers were more at risk for health problems due to the long-term neurotoxic effects of pesticide exposure on the central and peripheral nervous systems. To protect the health and safety of agricultural workers, these effects should be investigated in more detail in future studies, protective measures should be promoted, and training programs should be planned. Moreover, the focus should be on targeting agricultural workers who are older, have lower levels of education, and have longer exposure to pesticides. Cite this article as: Karabıyık, I. H., & Ilgaz, A. (2026). Effects of pesticide exposure on cognitive functions in agricultural workers: A systematic review. Florence Nightingale Journal of Nursing, 34, 0227, doi: 10.5152/FNJN.2026.25227.