Plastic is everywhere in our modern world , in food packaging, water bottles, clothing, and household items. Over time, plastic doesn’t truly disappear. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. Scientists are now studying whether these tiny particles could affect our health, including brain health.
As our national journey through Mapping the Risk concludes, one thing is clear: Parkinson’s Disease isn’t solely a matter of genetics, it is deeply rooted in where we live, work, and breathe.
Stretching from the Dakotas down through Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma (with swaths of Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico), the Great Plains is America’s agricultural heartland. That strength comes with environmental trade‑offs: heavy pesticide use, vulnerable aquifers, shifting air‑quality patterns, and emerging pollution dynamics, all of which may contribute to elevated Parkinson’s Disease (PD) risk across parts of the region.
Florida, the land of sunshine, retirees, booming development, and one of the nation’s most agriculturally diverse states, has quietly emerged as part of a disturbing pattern: a growing cluster of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) cases linked to environmental exposures. Recent studies highlight that Florida is not just a warm‑weather destination; it is also a region where multiple environmental risk factors converge.
The Mississippi–Ohio River Valley is often celebrated for its cultural heritage, fertile farmland, and manufacturing legacy. Yet beneath this vibrant landscape lies one of the nation’s most striking Parkinson’s disease (PD) hotspots. Recent research has revealed that this region’s air quality, specifically its high levels of fine particulate pollution, correlates with some of the highest PD rates in the United States.
Southeastern Texas, stretching from Houston to the Gulf Coast, is emerging as one of the most concerning regions in America’s growing Parkinson’s Belt, with rates significantly higher than national averages.
