A new study conducted by scientists at the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute in Denmark has found that long-term exposure to noise pollution from road and rail traffic significantly increases the risk of developing dementia. According to the study, which was published in the British Medical Journal, an estimated 1,216 out of 8,475 documented cases of dementia in Denmark in 2017 were caused by noise pollution from cars and other vehicles. The researchers analyzed health data from two million people over the age of 60 who lived in Denmark between 2004 and 2007. During this period, there were 103,500 new cases of dementia, which were further categorized into Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and dementia related to Parkinson’s disease.
The study found that long-term exposure to noise pollution from road and rail traffic significantly increased the risk of developing dementia, even after taking into account potentially influential factors such as frequent noise exposure in the participants’ environment. Specifically, the data showed that long-term exposure to road traffic noise of 55 decibels compared to 40 decibels increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by up to 27 percent. Similarly, long-term exposure to rail traffic noise of 50 decibels compared to 40 decibels increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 24 percent.
The study’s authors noted that its strengths included its large sample size, long follow-up period, and high-quality assessment of noise exposure from two different modes of transportation. However, they also cautioned that the study was observational and could not explain the cause of the increased risk of dementia. These findings highlight the need for further research into the impact of noise pollution on public health and the importance of implementing measures to reduce noise exposure in urban areas.
