Living near sources of water pollution linked to risk of brain disorder

Anne-Marie Wills, MD, MPH

Charlie Weige Zhao, MD

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a brain disorder that can cause issues with balance, eye movements and cognition. Prior studies have suggested that environmental and genetic factors can increase risk of PSP, but the impact of water pollution has been unclear.

New research led by Charlie Weige Zhao, MD, and supervised by Anne-Marie Wills, MD, MPH, both of the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, examined the link between proximity to water pollutant-emitting industrial facilities and new PSP diagnoses using data from the UK Biobank and European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR).

They found that residing within five kilometers of a facility emitting heavy metals, pesticides, organic or inorganic pollutants was associated with a higher risk of future PSP diagnosis. Risk dropped as distance from the nearest pollutant sources increased. People who had lived in proximity to water-polluting facilities for more than 40 years were at increased risk of PSP diagnosis.

The authors note that their prospective study does not prove that people were directly exposed to pollutants and propose that further studies that include neuropathological assessment and biomarkers of toxin encounters are needed for improved insight.

Published in Neurology on October 28, 2026 | Read the paper: “Proximity to water pollutant facilities and risk of incident progressive supranuclear palsy: Nested case-control study of the UK Biobank”

Summary reviewed by: Charlie Weige Zhao, MD, lead author; Anne-Marie Wills, MD, MPH, senior author