Risk of Parkinson’s disease may increase with prolonged exposure to road traffic noise

Research suggests a quiet or less exposed part of the home could mitigate the association between road traffic noise and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian View image in fullscreen Research suggests a quiet or less exposed part of the home could mitigate the association between road traffic noise and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian Risk of Parkinson’s disease may increase with prolonged exposure to road traffic noise Pioneering study linking noise pollution to Parkinson’s finds 3% increase in risk for every 11.5dB rise in noise levels Long-term exposure to road traffic noise is associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, the biggest study of its kind has found. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder in which parts of the brain become damaged over time, affecting movement and balance. Existing research has found potential biological pathways that link noise exposure to Parkinson’s disease, largely due to stress responses and disrupted sleep. The researchers modelled noise exposure at the most and least exposed exterior of the residence of each participant and calculated the difference in noise levels. AI-enhanced blood test may detect Parkinson’s years before onset Read more The magnitude of the effect was modest but consistent; at the most exposed facade, for every 11.5dB rise in noise level, the risk of Parkinson’s disease rose by 3% over the study period. Having a quiet part of the home may mitigate the association between exposure to road traffic noise and higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to the findings. The study , published in Jama Neurology, included 3.1 million Danish participants aged 40 and over, and followed them for 18 years. It was established using nationwide health register data, making it the largest study on road traffic noise and Parkinson’s disease. Previous research linked the rise in neurological disorders , including Parkinson’s disease, with exposure to environmental toxins. Environmental risk factors such as air pollution, microplastics and pesticides have become the main focus of prevention strategies. The study is one of the first to make the link to noise pollution. Chronic noise exposure exceeding World Health Organization thresholds affects nearly one-third of Europeans. Thomas Münzel, one of the authors of the study, said environmental noise is “still a young entrant in the Parkinson’s disease risk-factor literature”. Münzel said the study’s findings should move noise from a speculative to a credible risk factor for Parkinson’s disease, prompting furtherresearch into the topic. The researchers took air pollution into account but lacked information on people’s lifestyles. They argue, however, that lifestyle factors would not have changed the findings, because they saw a consistent association with Parkinson’s regardless of people’s education and income. Chronically disturbed sleep from noise pollution is thou