A small study of brain tissue has found that long-term exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The findings show a significant amount of black carbon particles in the thalamus (the brain’s information relay station), the olfactory bulb (the area that helps with the sense of smell) and the prefrontal cortex (responsible for cognition). In an article published in JAMA Network Open, researchers show that “outdoor pollution particles can travel to the human brain and accumulate in many areas of the brain involved in cognitive function.”
They said that this phenomenon “may reflect the initiation and progression of neurodegenerative disorders, but further studies are needed to confirm their observations.”
Early research in laboratory mice suggests that particulate matter in polluted air can cause brain changes and accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s.
