Could risk factors for Parkinson’s disease be “largely man-made”?

New research has highlighted evidence of a potential link between Parkinson’s risk and exposure to toxic environmental factors – including air pollutants and human-made materials.

The research was presented at the 147th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association in Chicago, US, as part of a symposium on neurological disorders.

The evidence included a study that highlighted that exposure to toxic pollutants may activate genes associated with the condition and that current environmental policies fail to consider the potential long-term effects of neurotoxic chemicals.

“The world’s fastest-growing brain disease is largely man-made,” said neurologist Dr Ray Dorsey, one of the symposium speakers, in a press release. “The principal causes are toxic exposures to chemicals synthesised in the labs of chemical companies.”

Calling for greater awareness surrounding the issue, he said: “If we educate the communities we’re supposed to serve, we can have them be mobilised and change the course of all these diseases.”

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