Live near a busy road? That’s now correlated with this neurodegenerative disease

Parkinson’s disease — a chronic neurological condition that critically impairs a patient’s motor function over time — is fairly common in the US. More than 60,000Americans are affected every year and there is no cure.

According to a new study published in the Jama Neurology journal, people who live near busy roads have a higher chance of developing Parkinson’s.

The connection between Parkinson’s and air pollution

The reasoning primarily concerns air pollutants. The authors claim that people who are habitually exposed to toxic particles are nearly 1.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s than those who are not exposed.

The researchers posit that air pollutants pass through the bloodstream into the brain and subsequently alter chemical processes important to neurological health.

“This finding suggests the role of air pollutants in PD development, advocating for the need to implement a targeted public health policy,” the authors wrote in the new report.

Why Parkinson’s may be on the rise and what you need to know

Recent studies have suggested that the prevalence of PD has increased by more than 50% in the span of five years among younger adults living in the US.

The latest report on Parkinson’s exposure risk identifies environmental pollutants (pesticides, air pollution, etc.) as highly influential. It found that greenhouse gases like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) appeared to produce the most adverse effects.

In order to gauge how routine exposure to greenhouse gases affects Parkinson’s risk, the authors tracked 78,830 participants over the age of 40 in South Korea for 10 years. Smog exposure was calculated for each residential address at two five-year intervals.

By the end of the study period, 338 of the men and women involved in the analysis were diagnosed with PD.

Even after adjusting for other relevant factors, people living in the most smog-affected regions were roughly 41% more likely to develop PD compared to the rest of the study group.

This stands to reason considering car engines produce a significant amount of greenhouse gas, specifically NO2 which is 300 times more toxic than carbon monoxide.

“Air pollution is a significant public health hazard. More than 80 percent of urban area residents are exposed to levels that exceed limits set by the World Health Organization,�� the authors continued.

How to limit your exposure to air toxins

The World Health Organization reports that more than 80% of communities occupying urban areas are regularly exposed to pollution levels that exceed amounts considered hazardous.

If you live in a heavily polluted area, health systems recommend reducing outdoor air infiltration to indoors when you can, cleaning indoor air with air filters, and staying indoors on high air-pollution days. You can access specific pollution data via AirNow.gov.