Long-Term Air Pollution Linked to Higher Motor Neuron Disease Risk and Faster Decline, Study Finds

Overview

• Researchers studied 1,463 newly diagnosed patients against 1,768 siblings and more than 7,000 matched controls, estimating PM2.5, PM2.5–10, PM10 and NO2 at home addresses up to ten years before diagnosis.
• Long-term exposure was associated with roughly a 20% to 30% higher likelihood of developing motor neuron disease, with similar results when restricted to ALS cases.
• Higher exposure correlated with faster motor and respiratory decline after diagnosis, increased mortality risk, and greater need for invasive ventilation, particularly for PM10 and NO2.
• Associations were detected at pollutant levels typical of Sweden, a setting with relatively low averages, reinforcing public-health arguments for cleaner local air and reduced traffic emissions.
• Findings remained in sibling analyses and after adjusting for socioeconomic factors and urbanicity, though the observational design, plus limited data on smoking and indoor pollution, means causation is unproven.