Get the latest tech news

Air Pollution Could Be Significant Cause of Dementia


An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Air pollution from traffic is linked to some of the more severe forms of dementia, and could be a significant cause of the condition among those who are not already genetically predisposed to it, research suggests. Research carried out in Atlant...

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Air pollution from traffic is linked to some of the more severe forms of dementia, and could be a significant cause of the condition among those who are not already genetically predisposed to it, research suggests. Research carried out in Atlanta, Georgia, found that people with higher exposure to traffic-related fine particulate matter air pollution were more likely to have high amounts of the amyloid plaques in their brains that are associated with Alzheimer's. This consists of particles of less than 2.5 microns in diameter -- about a hundredth the thickness of a human hair -- suspended in the air, and is known to penetrate deep into living tissue, including crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Get the Android app

Or read this on Slashdot

Read more on:

Photo of Dementia

Dementia

Photo of air pollution

air pollution

Photo of significant cause

significant cause

Related news:

News photo

Early Blood Test To Predict Dementia Is Step Closer As Biological Markets Identified

News photo

Early blood test to predict dementia is step closer as biological markers identified

News photo

EPA Tightens Rules On Some Air Pollution For the First Time In Over a Decade