A recent study has uncovered a potential link between residing near a golf course and an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that individuals may be paying a hidden price for living in close proximity to these areas.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic, among others, published their findings this month in JAMA Network Open, revealing that people who lived close to golf courses had a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those who lived farther away. The study’s authors attribute this connection to the pesticides used to maintain golf courses, a claim that other experts are taking seriously.

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive deterioration of motor function, and in its later stages, it can also affect cognition. It is estimated to affect nearly a million Americans, with almost 100,000 new cases diagnosed annually. While the exact causes of Parkinson’s disease are complex and multifaceted, involving a combination of genetic and environmental factors, exposure to toxins such as pesticides is believed to play a significant role. Previous studies have suggested that living or working near areas where pesticides are regularly applied may increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s. However, the potential risks associated with living near golf courses specifically had not been extensively studied until now.

The researchers utilized data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, which was established by the Mayo Clinic in 1966 and has been tracking the health of residents in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, including diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease. They conducted a case-control study, comparing individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s between 1991 and 2015 to controls matched in age and sex. The results showed that the closer someone lived to one of the 139 golf courses in the study area, the higher their likelihood of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s. After accounting for other factors, the researchers found that living within one mile of a golf course was associated with a 126% increased risk of Parkinson’s compared to those who lived six or more miles away. Additionally, residents who shared water services with a golf course had almost twice the odds of developing Parkinson’s as those who did not.

Michael S. Okun, national medical advisor for the Parkinson’s Foundation, described the study as “important and well-designed,” noting that it contributes meaningful data to the growing understanding of environmental factors contributing to Parkinson’s disease. Okun, who is also the director of the Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida, cautioned that the study does not establish a causal link between golf course proximity and increased Parkinson’s risk. However, he pointed out that certain pesticides, such as paraquat, maneb, and chlorpyrifos, are known to be toxic to the brain and have been linked to increased Parkinson’s cases. Given the intensive chemical maintenance required by golf courses, Okun suggests that it is biologically plausible that these chemicals could contaminate the local water supply or otherwise reach people in the surrounding area, increasing their risk of developing Parkinson’s.

Svjetlana Miocinovic, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at Emory University’s School of Medicine, was not surprised by the study’s findings but emphasized the need for further research. “The study was done in one geographic region, so the results need to be replicated in a larger cohort and other geographic areas,” Miocinovic noted. “However, the study highlights the importance of environmental factors in Parkinson’s disease.”

While more research is needed to fully understand the risks posed by golf courses and pesticide use, Okun argued that the current evidence is sufficient to warrant action. “This study is a wake-up call,” he stated. “Parkinson’s disease is the world’s fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder, and we are spending pennies on the dollar for prevention. The real takeaway here is that we need to stop viewing Parkinson’s as an inevitable consequence of aging and start treating it as a potentially preventable condition.”