Improving air quality reduces the risk of dementia in the elderly. This is evident from various studies presented this week at an international conference on Alzheimer’s.
Previous research has pointed to a link between air pollution and an accumulation of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s. The new studies show that improving air quality can lead to a lower risk of dementia and specifically Alzheimer’s.
Particulate matter and nitrogen
For example, American researchers found that air pollution by particulate matter and nitrogen has improved significantly in various regions in the US. They were able to show that a 10 percent improvement reduces the risk of dementia in American women between the ages of 74 and 92 by 14 to 26 percent. Researchers among seven thousand French seniors come to a similar conclusion: a decrease in the concentration of particulate matter between 1990 and 2000 led to a 15 percent lower risk of dementia and a 17 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s.
Plaques
A third study of 3,000 Americans shows a strong link between exposure to air pollution and the production of proteins that are the main component of brain plaques. “We’ve known for a while that air pollution is bad for our brains and overall health, including a link to amyloid buildup in the brain,” said Claire Sexton, director of science for the American Alzheimer’s Association. “But these data are hopeful because they show that improving air quality can actually reduce the risk of dementia. They demonstrate the importance of policies and measures taken by federal and local governments and companies to reduce air pollutants.’
Previous research has pointed to a link between air pollution and an accumulation of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s. The new studies show that improving air quality can lead to a lower risk of dementia and specifically Alzheimer’s. For example, American researchers found that air pollution by particulate matter and nitrogen has improved significantly in several regions in the US. They were able to show that a 10 percent improvement reduces the risk of dementia in American women between the ages of 74 and 92 by 14 to 26 percent. Researchers among seven thousand French seniors come to a similar conclusion: a decrease in the concentration of particulate matter between 1990 and 2000 led to a 15 percent lower risk of dementia and a 17 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s. A third study of three thousand Americans shows a strong link between exposure to air pollution and the production of proteins that are the main component of brain plaques. “We’ve known for a while that air pollution is bad for our brains and overall health, including a link to amyloid buildup in the brain,” said Claire Sexton, director of science for the American Alzheimer’s Association. “But these data are hopeful because they show that improving air quality can actually reduce the risk of dementia. They demonstrate the importance of policies and measures taken by federal and local governments and companies to reduce air pollutants.’
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