Air pollution could worsen Alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms, according to a new study. Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have found that air pollution may accelerate the buildup of toxic proteins in the brain, which can speed up cognitive decline.
The study, published in JAMA Neurology, investigated how fine particle matter (PM2.5) was linked to brain changes seen in dementia and Alzheimer’s and the severity of symptoms.
The researchers estimated how much air pollution each person was exposed to in the year before death or prior to their last dementia assessment, based on their home address. People exposed to higher pollution were found to have more advanced Alzheimer’s-type changes in their brains.
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