Parkinson’s disease is increasing much faster than expected. Around the world, the number of people living with Parkinson’s rose from about 3 million in 1990 to nearly 12 million in 2021. Even after accounting for aging, rates increased by about 28%, showing this is more than just people living longer.
In the United States, Parkinson’s disease is also rising quickly. About 680,000 people had Parkinson’s in 2010. That number was expected to grow to over 930,000 by 2020 and more than 1.2 million by 2030. This rapid growth suggests that factors beyond aging—such as environmental exposures—may be playing an important role.
Research shows that Parkinson’s is often linked with environmental exposures, especially pesticides, industrial chemicals, and air pollution. Some of these chemicals can damage the parts of brain cells that make energy and protect against stress. Over time, this damage can harm the brain cells that control movement.
Instead of being caused by one single factor, Parkinson’s disease may develop after many small stresses add up over time. This helps explain why the disease is increasing so rapidly and why reducing environmental exposure may matter for long-term brain health.
Click to see research on the environment and Parkinson’s disease.
