Incidence increased for non-Alzheimer dementia, Parkinson, Alzheimer disease, multiple sclerosis
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Road proximity is associated with an increased incidence of specific neurologic disorders, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in Environmental Health.
Weiran Yuchi, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues examined the correlations between road proximity and exposures to air pollution and joint effects of noise and greenness on non-Alzheimer dementia, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and multiple sclerosis in a cohort of about 678,000 residents (aged 45 to 84 years) of Metro Vancouver.
The researchers observed a correlation for road proximity with all outcomes (e.g., hazard ratio, 1.14 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.20] for non-Alzheimer dementia for living <50 m from a major road or <150 m from a highway). There were correlations for air pollutants with incidence of Parkinson disease and non-Alzheimer dementia (e.g., hazard ratios, 1.09 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.16], 1.03 [95 percent confidence interval, 0.97 to 1.08], and 1.12 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.05 to 1.20] per interquartile increase in fine particulate matter, Black Carbon, and nitrogen dioxide, respectively); no correlations were seen with Alzheimer disease or multiple sclerosis. There was no association between noise and any outcomes; protective effects were suggested for greenness with Parkinson disease and non-Alzheimer dementia.
“Our findings do suggest that urban planning efforts to increase accessibility to green spaces and to reduce motor vehicle traffic would be beneficial for neurological health,” Yuchi said in a statement.
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