Volume 28, Issue 147, May 2024

Air quality and aging brain: Air pollution as a risk factor of developing dementia

Justyna Chwiejczak^1♦, Jan Kościan², Julita Młynarska³, Aleksander Górny⁴, Karolina Szczerkowska⁵, Anna Wójcik⁶, Jakub Langa⁷, Michał Obrębski⁸, Anna Seroka⁹, Maria Rybicka¹⁰

¹Memorial Bielański Hospital, Cegłowska 80, 01-809 Warsaw, Poland
²Independent Public Hospital them. prof. W. Orlowski Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, Czerniakowska 231, 00-401 Warszawa, Poland
³Saint Anna Hospital of Trauma Surgery, Barska 16/20 Street, 02-315 Warsaw, Poland
⁴Prague Hospital of Lord's Transfiguration, Aleja, Solidarności'' 67, 03-401 Warsaw, Poland
⁵Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Szaserów 128, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
⁶Warsaw Southern Hospital, Rotmistrza Witolda Pileckiego 99, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland
⁷Józef Struś Hospital, Szwajcarska 3, 61-285 Poznań, Poland
⁸University Clinical Centre of the Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1a, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
⁹The National Institute of Medicine of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Wołoska 137, 02-507 Warszawa, Poland
¹⁰University Clinical Centre of the Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1a, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland

^♦Corresponding Author
Memorial Bielański Hospital, Cegłowska 80, 01-809 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

Introduction and Purpose: Air pollution is one of the underrated risk factors for developing major health problems in the contemporary world, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, stroke, and lung cancer. Almost 99% of the global population resides in areas where air quality standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) are exceeded. This review article aims to explore the latest data regarding the link between air pollution and dementia, as well as the main challenges in research in this field. These findings are crucial for implementing proper prevention strategies for neurodegenerative diseases and reducing the prevalence of dementia. Brief description of the state of knowledge: Recent studies suggest that air pollution could influence the brain and contribute to the development of dementia. The compounds primarily suspected negatively impacting health include particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). The strongest correlation between exposure to air pollutants and increased risk of developing dementia was found for PM2.5 in numerous studies. Summary: The strongest association was found for PM2.5, while PM10, NO2, and NOx are potentially harmful. Most studies have been conducted in high-income countries, highlighting the need for data from middle and low-income countries. There is insufficient research regarding O3, SO2, and CO. Given that air pollution is ubiquitous in the modern world and affects most of the world's population, further research in this field is necessary.

Keywords: Dementia, air pollution, ambient pollution, Alzheimer's disease, particulate matter

Medical Science, 2024, 28, e49ms3349

PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v28i147.e49ms3349

Published: 31 May 2024