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Living near dry cleaners increases Parkinson’s disease risk, with the highest rates in Southern Illinois and along the Tennessee–Kentucky border
Chemicals, like TCE and PCE, used in dry cleaning are linked to neurotoxicity and environmental contamination
Researchers say identifying environmental risk factors is key to reducing Parkinson’s disease burden in the future
The risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increases if you live by a dry cleaner — and in certain areas, that chance is more pronounced.
“We found that residential proximity to dry cleaners was associated with a greater risk of [Parkinson’s disease] among older adults in the United States,” according to an early, unedited paper published in Nature, which measured the likelihood of people aged 67 and older developing the devastating disease. The findings were published early to provide access to the findings, researchers said in a press release on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
People who lived within 500 feet of a dry cleaner had approximately 14% higher odds of developing Parkinson’s disease than people who lived four or more miles away, the research showed. And those who lived near a dry cleaner were 23% more likely to develop the type of Parkinson’s that causes problems with walking, balance and falling.
Stock image of a woman loading clothing into a dry cleaning machine
Credit: Getty
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive brain disorder, according to the National Institute on Aging, that causes “unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.” It’s known for triggering tremors, which generally start in the extremities like the hands. Although there is no cure, there are therapies and treatments for symptoms.
The research also found that the risk was more pronounced in certain areas.
In Southern Illinois, the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease was 150% higher for people who lived near a dry cleaner. Along the Tennessee–Kentucky border, it’s 110% higher. In Central Pennsylvania, the risk was doubled. North Central Indiana saw 88% higher odds, and Dallas-Fort Worth and the greater Detroit area had 50% and 40% increased odds, respectively.
Southern California along with New York City and parts of New Jersey also saw increased risks. Researchers said the geographical variance was likely linked to “aging infrastructure, geology or population density.”
“Our findings suggest that chemicals used in dry cleaning may contaminate nearby neighborhoods and contribute to PD risk,” the researchers wrote. Specifically, they mention Trichloroethylene (TCE).
TCE is a known carcinogen that causes kidney cancer, and “commercial dry cleaners also use trichloroethylene as a spot remover,” per the National Cancer Institute.
The study noted that while many dry cleaners switched to perchloroethylene (PCE), that compound breaks down into TCE. Both, the research said, are of “particular concern due to their well-established neurotoxicity and widespread environmental persistence.”
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TCE exposure “represents a potentially remediable risk factor for Parkinson’s disease,” the research said. “The association exhibited a clear dose –response relationship, with the greatest risk observed among individuals living within 0.1 mile of a dry cleaner compared with those residing furthest away.”
“This study adds to growing evidence that environmental exposures may play an important role in Parkinson’s disease,” Dr. Brad Racette, Chairman of Neurology and Senior Vice President of Barrow Neurological Institute, and senior author of the study, said in the release.
Racette added, “Identifying those exposures is an important step toward understanding how we might reduce the burden of this disease in the future.”
Read the original article on People