Neurotoxic Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Brain Structure and Dementia Risk in Older Women

Chen, J.; Wang, X.; Casanova, Ramon; Serre, Marc L.; Vizuete, William; Chui, Helena C.; Resnick, Susan M.; Espeland, Mark A.

doi:10.1093/geroni/igx004.2229

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Second, ageing is associated with lower IGF-1 and increased insulin resistance, and exposure to air pollutants has shown to be a risk factor of insulin resistance [ 44 ] and reduced insulin sensitivity over time [ 45 ]. Third, there is growing evidence of brain-structure neurotoxicity associated with PM [ 46 – 48 ] and road traffic noise exposures [ 22 ]. Fourth, genome-wide DNA methylation analyses suggest that exposure to long-term ambient air pollution can lead to alterations in DNA methylation whose functions are related to mitochondria and immune responses [ 49 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to residential traffic and trajectories of unhealthy ageing: results from a nationally-representative cohort of older adults

del Río,

Plans-Beriso,

Ramis

et al. 2024

Environ Health

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Background Traffic exposure has been associated with biomarkers of increased biological ageing, age-related chronic morbidities, and increased respiratory, cardiovascular, and all-cause mortality. Whether it is associated with functional impairments and unhealthy ageing trajectories is unknown. Methods Nationally representative population-based cohort with 3,126 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥60 years who contributed 8,291 biannual visits over a 10 year period. Unhealthy ageing was estimated with a deficit accumulation index (DAI) based on the number and severity of 52 health deficits, including 22 objectively-measured impairments in physical and cognitive functioning. Differences in DAI at each follow-up across quintiles of residential traffic density (RTD) at 50 and 100 meters, and closest distance to a petrol station, were estimated using flexible marginal structural models with inverse probability of censoring weights. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and time-varying lifestyle factors, social deprivation index at the census tract and residential exposure to natural spaces. Results At baseline, the mean (SD) age and DAI score of the participants were 69.0 (6.6) years and 17.02 (11.0) %, and 54.0% were women. The median (IQR) RTD at 50 and 100 meters were 77 (31-467) and 509 (182-1802) vehicles/day, and the mean (SD) distance to the nearest petrol station of 962 (1317) meters. The average increase in DAI (95%CI) for participants in quintiles Q2-Q5 (vs Q1) of RTD at 50 meters was of 1.51 (0.50, 2.53), 0.98 (-0.05, 2.01), 2.20 (1.18, 3.21) and 1.98 (0.90, 3.05), respectively. Consistent findings were observed at 100 meters. By domains, most of the deficits accumulated with increased RTD were of a functional nature, although RTD at 50 meters was also associated with worse self-reported health, increased vitality problems and higher incidence of chronic morbidities. Living closer to a petrol station was associated with a higher incidence of functional impairments and chronic morbidities. Conclusions Exposure to nearby residential traffic is associated with accelerated trajectories of unhealthy ageing. Diminishing traffic pollution should become a priority intervention for adding healthy years to life in the old age.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to residential traffic and trajectories of unhealthy ageing: results from a nationally-representative cohort of older adults

del Río,

Plans-Beriso,

Ramis

et al. 2024

Environ Health

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“…The vulnerability of the brain to air pollution extends beyond early brain development and includes later stages of life. Studies among adults exposed to different components of air pollution, reported volume reductions in total cerebral brain (38), total WM and GM (39–42), deep-GM (43) and local atrophy mainly in frontocortical areas, insula and subcortical regions (44–51), which partially mediated the association between PM2.5 and NO2 with depressive symptoms (50).…”

Section: Air Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour – a review of current status and future perspectives

Polemiti,

Hese,

Schepanski

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The environment influences mental health, both detrimentally and beneficially. Current research has emphasized the individual psychosocial ‘microenvironment’. Less attention has been paid to ‘macro-environmental’ challenges including climate change, pollution, urbanicity and socioeconomic disparity. With the advent of large-scale big-data cohorts and an increasingly dense mapping of macroenvironmental parameters, we are now in a position to characterise the relation between macroenvironment, brain, and behaviour across different geographic and cultural locations globally. This review synthesises findings from recent epidemiological and neuroimaging studies, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence between the macroenvironment and the structure and functions of the brain, with a particular emphasis on its implications for mental illness. We discuss putative underlying mechanisms and address the most common exposures of the macroenvironment. Finally, we identify critical areas for future research to enhance our understanding of the aetiology of mental illness and to inform effective interventions for healthier environments and mental health promotion.

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“…The literature has yet to address human cognitive reserve in relation to air pollution. Nonetheless, indirectly, air pollution could affect the cognitive reserve by increasing the level of psychological distress [60][61][62] or by impacting morphological changes in the elderly brain [63][64][65], as well as by potentially reducing the ability to re-route neural signals and recruit differential neural networks for performing cognitive tasks in case of neuronal age-related neuron losses [66,67]. Hence, by negatively affecting morphological changes in the brain, air pollution may reduce the ability to re-route neural signals and recruit differential neural networks for performing cognitive tasks in case of neuronal age-related neuron losses.…”

Section: Cognitive Reserve Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Particulate Matter in Human Elderly: Higher Susceptibility to Cognitive Decline and Age-Related Diseases

López-Granero,

Polyanskaya,

Ruiz-Sobremazas

et al. 2023

Biomolecules

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This review highlights the significant impact of air quality, specifically particulate matter (PM), on cognitive decline and age-related diseases in the elderly. Despite established links to other pathologies, such as respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, there is a pressing need for increased attention to the association between air pollution and cognitive aging, given the rising prevalence of neurocognitive disorders. PM sources are from diverse origins, including industrial activities and combustion engines, categorized into PM10, PM2.5, and ultrafine PM (UFPM), and emphasized health risks from both outdoor and indoor exposure. Long-term PM exposure, notably PM2.5, has correlated with declines in cognitive function, with a specific vulnerability observed in women. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been explored due to the interplay between them, PM exposure, and human aging, highlighting the crucial role of EVs, especially exosomes, in mediating the complex relationship between PM exposure and chronic diseases, particularly neurological disorders. To sum up, we have compiled the pieces of evidence that show the potential contribution of PM exposure to cognitive aging and the role of EVs in mediating PM-induced cognitive impairment, which presents a promising avenue for future research and development of therapeutic strategies. Finally, this review emphasizes the need for policy changes and increased public awareness to mitigate air pollution, especially among vulnerable populations such as the elderly.

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Neurotoxic Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Brain Structure and Dementia Risk in Older Women

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Exposure to residential traffic and trajectories of unhealthy ageing: results from a nationally-representative cohort of older adults

Exposure to residential traffic and trajectories of unhealthy ageing: results from a nationally-representative cohort of older adults

How does the macroenvironment influence brain and behaviour – a review of current status and future perspectives

Particulate Matter in Human Elderly: Higher Susceptibility to Cognitive Decline and Age-Related Diseases

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