Air pollution is a major public health issue, with long-term exposure to fine particulate matter linked with an increased risk of various diseases, including stroke and dementia. It has also been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. However, studies have been underpowered and their findings are often inconsistent or inconclusive.
In a paper published in Environment International, researchers at IMS Epidemiology, University of Cambridge, carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing scientific literature to examine these links further. This approach allowed them to bring together studies that on their own may not provide sufficient evidence, and which sometimes disagree with each other, to provide more robust overarching conclusions.
The analysis included 26 studies on Parkinson’s disease and three each for multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. The team found two air pollutants that were associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, which affects approximately 6 million people worldwide.
Read the full article here: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/long-term-exposure-to-air-pollution-linked-to-increased-risk-of-parkinsons-disease
Source: Cambridge Research News
Posted on 09/07/2026
