Varanasi: A study conducted by the Neurology Department, the Institute of Medical Sciences of Hindu Banaras University (IMS-BHU) has claimed that neurological diseases often occur in Riverside Ganga due to high pollution levels.
Stroke, both ischemic and hemorrhagic, is the most common of neurological diseases.
Study, ‘The spectrum of neurological diseases throughout the Ganges belt: a hospital-based prospective observational study, which was carried out by Prof.
Vijaya Nath Mishra and members of his team, including Sooraj Patil, Vineeta Singh, Deepika Joshi, Rameshwar Nath Chaurasia and Abhishek Pathak, are published online in the famous ‘International Journal of Neuroscience’ on August 24.
“The purpose of our study is to determine the prevalence of neurological diseases in the Riverside Ganga and subsequently divided into several parts around the banks of the river in 25 kms and non-riverside as 25.
KMS away from Ganga,” Mishra said.
He said that the gangetic belt was one of the heavy-populated areas in the world with people depending on the river for daily needs.
The Ganga River has been polluted over the past few decades with increasing population, urbanization, and disability waste processing and inappropriate government policies.
This study aims to find the pattern and clinical features of neurological diseases around Ganga.
“In this study, we found a more common neurological disease in the most common gangetic belt, stroke, seizures, and encephalopathy,” he said.
According to him, this is the first study, showing the spectrum of neurological diseases on the basin of the Ganges river.
Demographic Profiles Different Diseases in Gangetic River Belt Because of River Pollution which raises an increase in the proportion of infectious and neurodegenerative diseases (ND).
Demographic characteristics of this study showed the prevalence of higher neurological diseases at the age of 50-70 years, previous studies from India showed neurological diseases more common in the age group of 40-60 years.
A study from which also shows that 20% of the population is more than 60 years.
“Three of the most common neurological diseases in our study are strokes, septic seizures and encephalopathy in decline,” he said and added that a total of 2,326 patients from various neurological diseases were received, where 310 was excluded because of the diagnosis of non-neurological conditions by neurologists after entering .
A total of 2,016 patients were included in this study.
These patients were divided into 25 km from Ganga Riverside and 25 km from Non-Riverside Ganga.
Among them 1,154 patients live about 25 km on both sides of Ganga and 862 patients outside 25 km from the river.
According to him, previous studies showed that ganga water contained many heavy metal poisons and chemical poisons which were far above the limits that were permitted and dangerous for human life.
Many of these heavy metals and chemical poisons are neurotoxic and can lead to various neurological and neurodegenerative disorders (NDS).
A heavy metal in the river water then enters the food chain through entering the ground, well water and air.
They are the main causes of mental and cognitive health damage in humans.
Many of these heavy metals are needed in small quantities for cell function and life but when exposed higher levels during the long period they cause adverse effects such as neurotoxicity.
He said that the spectrum of neurological diseases varied according to developing and advanced countries.
In developing countries, neurological diseases change according to exposure to infectious agents, toxic compounds.
When the Ganga basin is very dense and shows the amount of metal that is significantly high in its water, neurological diseases in the gangetic belt need to be learned to determine the nature of their disease and courses.
“In this study, we strive to identify the spectrum of neurological diseases in the riverside ganga, to the right part around the river bank and 25 km from Riverside.
There are no previous studies conducted around Ganga Basin to find out the spectrum of neurological disorders or NDS in the gangga belt, “Mishra said.
He added, “Our study is currently giving us insight into the pattern of neurological diseases around Ganga, related to the source of drinking water and relationship between neurological diseases on heavy metal exposure.
This will help us in future preventive measures to formulate plans to reduce heavy metal pollution.
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