Dementia describes an overall decline in memory and other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.
In a study from Western University in London, scientists found a higher exposure to a certain type of traffic-related air pollution called particulate matter may be linked to an increased risk of dementia.
In the study, researchers specifically looked at fine particulate matter, PM2.5, which consists of pollutant particles of less than 2.5 microns in diameter suspended in the air.
The meta-analysis included 17 available studies on air pollution and the risk of dementia. Participants were over age 40.
Across all the studies there were more than 91 million people. Of those, 5.5 million people, or 6%, developed dementia.
The studies adjusted for several factors that affect a person’s risk of dementia including age, sex, smoking, and education.
The researchers compared rates of air pollution exposure for people both with and without dementia.
They found that people who did not develop dementia had a lower average daily exposure to fine particulate matter air pollutants than people who did have dementia.
The U.S. Environmental Pollution Agency (EPA) considers average yearly exposures up to 12 µg/m3 to be safe.
The researchers found that the risk of dementia increased by 3% for every one microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3) increase of fine particulate matter exposure.
The team found the meta-analysis does not prove that air pollution causes dementia, it only shows an association.
The hope is these findings empower people to take an active role in reducing their exposure to pollution.
By understanding the risk of dementia through exposure to air pollution, people can take steps to reduce their exposure such as using sustainable energy, choosing to live in areas with lower levels of pollution and advocating for reduced traffic pollution in residential areas.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about top risk factors you can change to prevent dementia, and eating blueberry regularly may reduce your dementia risk.
For more information on brain health, please see recent studies about Vitamin D deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.
The study was conducted by Ehsan Abolhasani et al and published in Neurology.
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