Risk of Parkinson's disease may increase with prolonged exposure to road noise
5 hours ago
- Long-term exposure to road traffic noise is linked to a higher risk of Parkinson's disease, according to the largest study of its kind.
- The study involved 3.1 million Danish participants aged 40 and over, followed for 18 years using nationwide health register data.
- For every 11.5dB increase in noise at the most exposed facade of a home, the risk of Parkinson's disease rose by 3%.
- Having a quieter part of the home may mitigate the association between traffic noise and Parkinson's risk.
- The research is among the first to connect noise pollution to Parkinson's, with chronic noise exposure affecting nearly one-third of Europeans.
- Experts note that noise may act as a general stressor rather than a specific risk factor, and lifestyle factors could confound the results.