<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/04/fine-particulate-air-pollution-trigger-forms-dementia-study-lewy-body>
"Fine-particulate air pollution can drive devastating forms of dementia by
triggering the formation of toxic clumps of protein that destroy nerve cells as
they spread through the brain, research suggests.
Exposure to the airborne particles causes proteins in the brain to misfold into
the clumps, which are hallmarks of Lewy body dementia, the second most common
form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.
The finding has “profound implications” for preventing the neurodegenerative
disorder, which affects millions worldwide, with scientists calling for a
concerted effort to improve air quality by cutting emissions from industrial
activity and vehicle exhausts, improving wildfire management and reducing wood
burning in homes.
“Unlike age or genetics, this is something we can change,” said Dr Xiaobo Mao,
a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University in the US and the study’s lead
investigator. “The most direct implication is that clean air policies are brain
health policies.”
The researchers began by analysing hospital records of the 56.5 million US
Medicare patients. They looked at those who were admitted for the first time
between 2000 and 2014 with the protein damage. Armed with the patients’ zip
codes, the scientists estimated their long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution,
airborne particles that are smaller than 2.5 thousandths of a millimetre. These
can be inhaled deep into the lungs and are found in the bloodstream, brain and
other organs.
They found that long-term exposure to PM2.5 raised the risk of Lewy body
dementia, but had less of an impact on rates of another neurodegenerative brain
disease that is not driven by the toxic proteins."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
