27 Jul 2026 American Medical Journal - Neurology - Author: Katrina Thornber
Key Summary:
- A Danish cohort study of 3,103,577 people examined road traffic noise and Parkinson disease risk.
- Higher noise exposure was linked to increased PD risk (HR 1.03–1.06 across models).
- A quiet facade was linked to lower risk, supporting noise mitigation strategies.
A LARGE Danish cohort study has revealed that long-term exposure to road traffic noise is associated with a higher risk of Parkinson disease, though having a quiet facade at home appeared to reduce this added risk.
Road Traffic Noise as a Potential Risk Factor for Parkinson Disease
Transportation noise has been proposed as a potential risk factor for Parkinson disease, but epidemiological evidence remained limited and inconsistent. Long-term road traffic noise exposure has increasingly drawn interest as a modifiable environmental factor, yet its link to Parkinson disease risk had not been comprehensively established.
Danish Nationwide Cohort Study Design
Researchers conducted a Danish nationwide prospective cohort study with follow-up from 2000 to 2017, including residents aged 40 years and older. Using complete residential address histories from 1990 onward, the study assessed 10-year time-weighted exposure to road traffic noise at the most and least exposed facades of each home. Of 3,542,488 eligible individuals, 438,911 were excluded due to prevalent Parkinson disease, incomplete address history, or missing covariates, leaving 3,103,577 participants (mean baseline age 50.9 years; 51.2% female). Cases were identified via the National Patient Register and analysed using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for sociodemographic, air pollution, and green space covariates.
Recent Comments