Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is emitted by traffic, industrial emissions and forest fires, has been linked to an accelerated development of dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease with dementia, a study of more than 56 million people has found. Nature reports.
Scientists have found that air pollution itself does not cause these forms of dementia, but significantly accelerates their progression in people with a genetic predisposition. The analysis showed that those living in areas with elevated levels of PM2.5 had a 12 percent increased risk of hospitalization for severe dementia with Lewy bodies.
Experiments on mice confirmed these results: long-term exposure to PM2.5 led to the accumulation of the pathological protein α-synuclein in the brain, gut and lungs, which caused cognitive impairment and memory impairment. The researchers suggest that air pollution particles can trigger inflammatory processes and spread pathological changes along the gut-brain axis.
The work emphasizes the importance of air quality control as a factor in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, which are currently rapidly increasing worldwide.
