Living near dry cleaners increases your risk of devastating disease with one of the strongest clusters in NYC: study

One of the biggest questions when choosing where to live is what you’ll need to do to get your clothes cleaned.And one thing to love about New York is there’s always a spot just up the block.But new research suggests there’s a good reason to avoid that convenience: The closer you live to a dry cleaner, the more likely you’ll develop a debilitating disease that slowly kills cells in the brain.Parkinson’s Disease is the second-most common neurological disorder in older adults and affects about 1.1 million people across the US.Experts say it’s caused by a mix of genes, aging and environmental factors — like exposure to certain chemicals.While the association appeared across the country, researchers found pockets—including in New York—where Parkinson’s was particularly common among people living near dry cleaners.They believe one chemical in particular could be part of the reason living near a dry cleaner could increase risk of this disease.Parkinson’s causes nerve cells in the brain to weaken, become damaged and die.This causes issues with movement and balance, causes tremors, or shaking hands and fingers, and painful stiffness.This is a progressive disease, and as it gets worse, people have a harder time walking, talking, and completing everyday tasks.People who develop Parkinson’s often develop a “parkinsonian gait” which makes them stoop forward while swinging their arms, and they’re forced to take small, shuffling steps.Researchers found that the people with the highest risk of getting Parkinson’s live 500 feet or less from a dry cleaner.

That’s about two blocks running North-South in Manhattan, and a little less than a block running East-West, or between avenues.People who lived a few miles away had a lower risk.

In the city, there are over 72,000 business and individuals with a dry cleaning license.But it’s not just in big cities like New York and Detroit.They also found clusters in Southern Illinois, along the Tennessee-Ken...