Scientists have discovered that inhaling small air polluting particles could increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
Exposure to tiny particles of smoke from car exhaust and burning wood is thought to trigger inflammation in the body that could lead to the disease, which affects an estimated 8.5 million people worldwide.
Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world, affecting two percent of the population over 70 years of age and with the number expected to triple in the next two decades.
But up to 20 per cent of people with Parkinson’s – caused by a loss of brain cells that produce vital chemicals – are thought to experience symptoms before the age of 50.
According to neurologist Dr. Anh-Thu Vu, Parkinson’s has traditionally occurred in people over 60, but is increasingly common in younger people.
Now, a team of American experts has published findings suggesting that one possible theory for this increase could be air pollution.
According to neurologist Dr. Anh-Thu Vu, Parkinson’s traditionally occurred in people over 60, but is increasingly common in younger people.
Exposure to tiny smoke particles from car exhaust and burning wood is thought to trigger inflammation in the body that could lead to the disease, which affects about 8.5 million people worldwide.
USA study identified 346 Parkinson’s patients in Minnesota who were diagnosed with the disease between 1991 and 2015.
These patients were divided into two subgroups: those with faster cognitive decline and slower movements, and those with tremor.
The researchers calculated average annual levels of PM2.5 in the atmosphere (polluting particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers) between 1998 and 2019 and nitrogen dioxide levels between 2000 and 2014.
Pollution levels in participants’ homes were then analysed within a 1 km area.
PM2.5 are soot particles in the air invisible to the human eye that can enter the blood and penetrate deep into the lung.
Knowing the symptoms of Parkinson’s can allow for earlier diagnoses and access to treatments that improve the quality of life of patients.
They can be emitted by vehicle engines, burning wood and tobacco.
Although they are small, these particles are believed to… cross the blood-brain barrier in humans, causing inflammation, oxidative stress, and activation of microglia (a cell that can cause inflammation), which can trigger the development of Parkinson’s.
The data suggest that higher levels of this type of pollution are associated with Parkinson’s, compared to lower levels of exposure.
Researchers also found there was a 36 percent increased risk of developing akinetic rigid Parkinson’s disease (a type of disease that can cause faster cognitive decline and slower movements), which causes faster cognitive decline in memory.
Additionally, higher levels of PM2.5 and NO2 were associated with a higher risk of developing dyskinesia, a side effect of Parkinson’s that causes involuntary or uncontrolled muscle movements, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
The study’s authors caution that the findings of this study suggest that a reduction in air pollution may help reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
In 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency reduced the annual PM2.5 standard by a quarter due to growing evidence of its negative health effects.
The study’s authors said: ‘Our study not only supports the findings that led to this change, but suggests that the upper limit should be lowered to 8 μg/m3, a level previously advocated by the American Lung Association and other health organisations.
‘It is worth noting that the World Health Organization recommends a stricter limit and sets its standard at 5 μg/m3.’
Doctors have found that Parkinson’s disease is becoming more common in people under the age of 50, known as early-onset Parkinson’s disease.
Symptoms include:remorse in the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face, rstiffness of the limbs and torso,slow movement and meimpaired balance and coordination.
Those affected may also suffer from depression, insomnia and cognitive problems.
Rarely, Parkinson’s-like symptoms may appear in children and adolescents.
This form of the disorder is called juvenile parkinsonism and is often associated with specific genetic mutations, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
