Study Finds Link Between Storing Chemicals in Home Garages and Increased ALS Risk
A new study reveals a possible link between storing chemicals in home garages and an increased risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Researchers identified significant associations between ALS risk and the residential storage of volatile chemicals such as pesticides, gasoline, and paint.
Key Findings:
- The study surveyed over 600 participants and found that storing volatile chemicals in attached garages was significantly associated with ALS risk.
- Chemicals linked to ALS included gasoline, lawn care products, and woodworking supplies, with most participants reporting storage in attached garages.
- Airflow from attached garages into living spaces may explain the heightened risk, pointing to the need for building codes that minimize such exposures.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, underscores the importance of the “ALS exposome”—a concept describing the cumulative exposure to environmental toxins linked to ALS. Insights from the study suggest interventions to minimize exposure and potentially reduce ALS risk by modifying storage practices in homes.
Investigation of Home Garage Storage and ALS Risk
A recent Michigan Medicine study investigated the connection between storing chemicals in home garages and ALS risk. The study included a survey of more than 600 participants, both with and without ALS. Statistical analysis of the survey data revealed significant associations between ALS risk and the storage of chemicals, including gasoline and gasoline-powered equipment, lawn care products, pesticides, paint, and woodworking supplies.
Among the reported chemicals linked to ALS, all had volatile components and most participants reported storing several items in their attached garages.
According to Stuart Batterman, a professor of environmental health science at the U-M School of Public Health, the flow of air and airborne pollutants from attached garages to living spaces may explain the heightened risk. Building codes that address this issue recommend measures to reduce or eliminate these air flows.
Understanding the ALS Exposome and Behavioral Associations
The findings from this study further contribute to the understanding of the ALS exposome, the cumulative environmental exposures that impact ALS risk and progression. The study raises the question of whether it is the activities associated with ALS risk, such as woodworking and gardening, or the exposures to related products that contribute to the development of the disease.
“We are beginning to see risk factors across multiple settings that may associate with a greater ALS risk; we also see some relationships across the studies, for example, woodworking and woodworking supplies and gardening and lawn care supplies,” said Stephen Goutman, M.D., M.S., director of the Pranger ALS Clinic and associate director of the ALS Center of Excellence at the University of Michigan.
Further research is needed to fully understand how environmental exposures increase ALS risk and to identify the array of exposures that contribute to the disease. The research team at the University of Michigan is actively investigating the role of environmental exposures in ALS development and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, The National ALS Registry/CDC/ATSDR, the ALS Association, and other organizations.
References:
[University of Michigan]
About this ALS Research News:
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Sources:University of Michigan
