The Surprising Connection Between Living Near Golf Courses and Parkinson’s Disease

People may be paying a hidden price for living close to a golf course. Recent research has found a link between golf courses and greater odds of developing Parkinson’s disease. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic and others conducted the study, published this month in JAMA Network Open. They found that people who lived in close proximity to golf courses had a higher risk of Parkinson’s than similar residents who lived farther away. The researchers argue that the pesticides used to maintain these courses are likely a major reason behind the connection—an argument that other experts are taking seriously. “This study is a wake-up call.” Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative condition that progressively worsens people’s motor function (in the later stages, it often affects cognition as well). It’s thought to affect nearly a million Americans today, with almost 100,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Most cases are thought to be caused by a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors, which c ... Read full article.