A recent study revealed that air pollution may accelerate the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain.
According to a research published in JAMA Neurology, Alzheimer’s patients exposed to increased levels of particle pollution appeared to suffer a speedy accumulation of toxic amyloid and tau proteins in their brains.
For the study, researchers mainly focused on the effects of fine particulate matter produced by wildfire smoke, car exhaust, and industrial emissions on health.
Particles ranging up to 2.5 micrometers and smaller are nearly half the size of a single strand of spider web, and once inhaled can pass into the bloodstream to harm organs such as the brain.
Researchers assessed over 600 autopsies from the Penn Medicine Brain Bank, comparing brain tissue with exposure to particle pollution based on residence.
Results indicated a 19% increase in amyloid and tau accumulation.
Increased pollution exposure showed association with faster cognitive decline, including memory loss, speech issues, and poor decision-making.
Senior researcher and co-director of the University of Pennsylvania Institute on Aging in Philadelphia, Dr. Edward Lee, stated, “In the United States, air pollution is at the lowest levels in decades, but even just a year living in an area with high levels of pollution can have a big impact on a person’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.”
“It underscores the value of environmental justice efforts that focus on reducing air pollution to improve public health,” Lee added.