Particulate air pollution is a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease: US study 25% increased risk in areas with highest long-term PM2.5 exposure

People living in areas with high levels of an air pollutant called fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are at greater risk due to power plants, motor vehicles, and fires. Parkinson’s diseaseaccording to a US study.

“We found a nationwide association between Parkinson’s disease and exposure to air pollutants. Increased risk of Parkinson’s disease compared to the Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona. press release From the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

The Mississippi Ohio River Valley in particular is a “parkinson’s hot spot,” Krzyzanowski added. Contamination by particulate matter all over the country. “

Investigation result,”Particulate matter and the risk of Parkinson’s disease in Medicare beneficiarieswill be announced at AAN’s 75th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 22-27.

Particulate matter consists of smoke, aerosols, soot, etc.

“By mapping Parkinson’s disease levels nationwide and linking them to air pollution, we can better understand local risks and help leaders take action to reduce the risk of disease by reducing levels of air pollution. I would like to encourage you to do so,” said Krzyzanowski.

both genetic and environmental factors It appears to influence the risk of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease. exercise-related symptoms.

Increasing Evidence Suggests Air pollution Environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease. The European report also puts long-term exposure to air pollutants such as PM2.5 into Increased risk of dying from Parkinson’s disease.

PM2.5 consists of smoke, soot, aerosols, mold spores, dander, and other particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, about 1/30th the size of a human hair. Such particulates come from automobiles, fossil fuel-fired power plants, other industries, and forest and grassland fires.

Krzyzanowski et al. investigated the potential association between increased PM2.5 exposure and Parkinson’s disease risk in the United States.

“We used a geographic approach to study Parkinson’s disease incidence across the United States and compare that incidence to regional air pollution levels,” said Krzyzanowski.

The researchers used 2009 data from Medicare, a government-funded health insurance program for people over 65 and people with certain disabilities. Of her more than 22.5 million people enrolled in Medicare that year, 83,674 were newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Disease rates were mapped and calculated for several regions of the United States. Average air pollution exposure levels based on annual PM2.5 concentrations were established for this 2009 patient group using residential zip code and county.

These people were then divided into four groups based on their average exposure to PM2.5. Those with the highest exposures had an average annual exposure of 19 micrograms per cubic meter (mcg/m3), while those in the lowest exposure group averaged an average of 5 mcg/m3 each year. His PM2.5 was exposed.

For every 100,000 people in the most exposed group, there were 434 new diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease, compared to 359 new diagnoses for every 100,000 people in the least exposed group.

After adjusting for factors known to affect Parkinson’s risk, including age, gender, race, smoking, and medical use, the researchers found that disease risk ranged from lowest to highest exposure groups. We found a 25% increase.

Rocky Mountain Region, Mississippi Ohio River Valley Pointed Exposure Risk

The researchers then divided PM2.5 exposure into 10 levels for a more detailed geographic assessment.

The association between PM2.5 exposure and Parkinson’s disease risk was strongest in the Rocky Mountain region, including Lake County, Colorado, southwest of Denver, and neighboring counties. Moving to the next level increased the risk of Parkinson’s disease by 16%.

In the Mississippi-Ohio River basin, which includes Tennessee and Kentucky, higher PM2.5 exposure was associated with higher incidence of Parkinson’s disease, but this association was weaker than in the Rocky Mountain region.

Here, the risk of Parkinson’s disease increased by 4% with each increasing level of exposure.

“The relatively weak associations found in areas with high Parkinson’s disease risk and the highest levels of particulate matter in the country are consistent with the threshold effect observed in the data,” Krzyzanowski said. I’m here.

“For example, in the Mississippi-Ohio River basin, the risk of Parkinson’s disease increases by about 15 hours with increasing exposure to air pollution. [mcg/m3] It’s the amount of particulate matter that seems to plateau the risk of Parkinson’s disease,” added Krzyzanowski.

The researchers believe this weaker association may be due to the apparent plateau effect between 12 and 19 mcg/m3 and that air pollution is associated with increased risk of other health conditions, including dementia. I pointed out that there is a possibility that Diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

“Using state-of-the-art geospatial analysis techniques, we identified national associations among PD. [Parkinson’s disease] PM2.5 varies in intensity from region to region,” the researchers wrote in their abstract.

Because PM2.5 contains a wide variety of air pollutants, some more toxic than others, “By looking more deeply into specific sub-fractions of PM2.5, we will be able to identify PM2.5. It may provide insight into regional variability associated with 5-PD,” the team added.

This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Disease Research Foundation.