article from London Times 9 September 2021  written by Katie Gibbons

The noise from living next to a busy road or railway could raise the risk of dementia, research suggests.

A study found that exposure to rail or road traffic sounds was linked to an increase in the risk of dementia by more than a quarter. The Danish researchers estimated that as many as 1,216 out of the 8,475 cases of dementia in a single year could be attributed to it.

After air pollution, transport noise is considered the second worst environmental risk factor for public health in Europe. About 40 per cent of the population is exposed to road traffic noise above 55 decibels (dB), the EU threshold for excess exposure.

There is a known link between noise and health problems such as coronary heart