Less exposure to air pollution may reduce Parkinson’s risk, researchers say

A. more exposure air pollution for years may increase risk A new study suggests that there is a higher chance of developing Parkinson’s disease later on.

For years, researchers have been investigating possible links between air pollution and this disease. incurable degenerativeHere nerve cells deteriorate It causes difficulty speaking, tremors, and stiffness in the part of the brain that controls movement. Scientists believe that Parkinson’s disease is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

One possible culprit is PM2.5; i.e. fine particles traveling long distances– because they can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause inflammation and oxidative stress and stimulates immune cells in the brain to take action to destroy pathogens.

These factors may enable the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers at the Barrow Neurological Institute and Mayo Clinic in the United States. Their new study published in the journal ‘JAMA Network Open’, suggests that amount of air pollution What a person experiences over time is also a important piece of the puzzle – and preventing this exposure may reduce the risks of Parkinson’s and alter the course of the disease disease develops.

To reduce air pollution “not only (prevent) the development of Parkinson’s disease, but also patients’ quality of life Lead author of the study and neurologist Dr. from Mayo Clinic. Rodolfo Savica told ‘Euronews’ Health: involved almost 5,200 peopleAbout 350 had Parkinson’s disease and followed them exposure levels Pollution from 1998 to 2019.

Researchers found that people are more likely to have Parkinson’s disease. higher exposure levels PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide, mostly from cars, power plants or other fuel emissions in the 10 years before diagnosis.

It is 23 percent more common in metropolitan areas and those living in neighborhoods with the highest air pollution. Chance of developing Parkinson’s disease Compared to people in areas with the lowest levels, Savica said.

Meanwhile, Parkinson’s patients who were exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 were found to be at higher risk. improve dyskinesia – muscle spasms in the face, arms, legs or trunk – and akinetic stiffness (the stiffness and tremors characteristic of the disease) compared to those exposed to lower levels of pollution over the years.

“Even if we can’t causal consequencesThe consequences of this are such that moving out of neighborhoods high PM2.5 levels It can reduce someone’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and complications of Parkinson’s disease, Savica said.

Parkinson’s disease is growing

In particular, greater exposure to PM2.5 is a higher chance of death For Parkinson’s patients, although researchers say people in the study may have been better off access to medical care than the average patient.

Previous studies covering six European countries found long-term exposure to PM2.5 was even at very low levels. below pollution limits It is stated that the European Union may contribute to Parkinson’s deaths.

Parkinson’s disease is estimated to affect approximately 10 million people worldwide, and this number is increasing in countries with aging populations. The number of Parkinson’s patients in the EU, which was 224 in 2000, was 344 per 100,000 people in 2021. global load forecasts of your disease.

For the latest report, the authors said: geographical focus of the studylack patient diversity and other unknown variables, such as whether people spent more time away from home than expected, may have skewed the results.

The next steps in this research are to investigate how other types of air pollution may affect the environment, Savica said. Parkinson’s risksand we can better understand the connection between genetic and environmental factors.