Key points from article :
Could air pollution hasten a person’s brain pathology and dementia? Yes, according to two recent studies.
Fine particulate matter below 2.5 microns (PM2.5) refers to particles produced by construction sites, wildfires, car exhaust, and burning of various fuel sources.
PM2.5 reaches brain to damage neurons and glia directly; or damage the brain vasculature, leading to dementia indirectly.
People who lived in an area with high levels of PM 2.5 had more plaques.
Women who lived in areas of high PM2.5 had less gray matter in brain regions vulnerable to atrophy in alzheimer’s disease.
Taken together, these large cohorts add evidence that toxic air may increase dementia risk.
Just this week, PM2.5 was linked to higher COVID-19 mortality.
“Improving air quality could have large impact o people without them individually modifying their behavior,” - Melinda Power, Associate professor.
Research by University of California & Southern California published in JAMA Neurology and Neurology.
