Air pollution exposure could increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, as well as certain symptoms. More exposure to air pollution over the years could increase people’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease later on, a new study suggests. For years, researchers have been exploring potential links between air pollution and the incurable degenerative disease, where nerve cells deteriorate in the part of the brain that controls movement, causing slurred speech, tremors, and stiffness.
Scientists believe that Parkinson’s is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. One potential culprit is PM2.5 – fine particulate matter that can travel far distances – because it can cross the blood-brain barrier, causing inflammation and oxidative stress and prompting the brain’s immune cells to activate so they can destroy pathogens.
These factors could enable Parkinson’s to develop and progress, according to researchers from the Barrow Neurological Institute and Mayo Clinic in the United States. Their new study, published in the suggests that the amount of air pollution someone experiences over time is also an important piece of the puzzle – and that curbing exposure could lower Parkinson’s risks and change how the disease develops. Reducing air pollution could “not only [prevent the] development of Parkinson’s disease but also [improve] the quality of life of patients that [already have it],” Dr Rodolfo Savica, the study’s senior author and a .