Living Near a Golf Course Can Increase Your Risk of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is an incurable, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement control. It occurs when the brain cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for coordinating smooth and controlled movements, deteriorate and die off. This leads to symptoms such as tremors, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability. While the precise cause is unknown, both genetic and environmental factors are believed to play a role.
A new study has shown that people who live within 1-3 miles of a golf course are at higher risk of Parkinson’s disease. The farther away people live from a golf course, the lower risk of the disease. The odds of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease is 126% higher for those living within 1 mile of a golf course, compared to those living more than 6 miles away. The higher risk of Parkinson’s disease is linked to the pesticides used to maintain the golf courses. In fact, the risk was greatest for people in areas where groundwater is more vulnerable to contamination from these chemicals.
Growing evidence supports the link between pesticides and Parkinson's disease. People who work in agriculture, especially those applying pesticides or working with crops treated with pesticides, are at a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. A study from the California Agricultural Workers Study showed that farm workers who were exposed to pesticides had a higher rate of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those who were not exposed In particular, studies have found higher rates of Parkinson’s in regions with extensive pesticide spraying on crops like tobacco, soybeans, and cotton. Some individuals may have genetic variants that make them more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of pesticides. For instance, mutations in genes like LRRK2, PARK7, or PINK1 are associated with a higher risk of Parkinson's, and exposure to pesticides may increase the likelihood of disease onset in individuals with these genetic predispositions.
Certain pesticides, particularly organophosphates, paraquat, and rotenone, have been shown to have neurotoxic effects on dopamine-producing cells, making them a potential risk factor for Parkinson's. Paraquat, for example, is a herbicide known to be particularly harmful to the substantia nigra, and studies have shown that exposure to paraquat may increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Some studies have found that people who live in areas with heavy paraquat use have a higher incidence of Parkinson’s. Rotenone, another pesticide, has been shown to induce Parkinson-like symptoms in animals and has been linked to human cases of Parkinson’s when exposure is prolonged.
