Air pollution linked to distinct brain changes in regions vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease
Exposure to common forms of outdoor air pollution may be linked to structural changes in brain regions that are especially vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study led by researchers from the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
A new study from the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute reveals that exposure to common forms of outdoor air pollution may cause distinct brain changes in regions vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. The research, published in NeuroToxicology, analyzed brain scans and air pollution estimates from 1,484 adults without dementia or stroke history.
Greater exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was linked to thinner cortex, the outer layer of the brain critical for memory, in older women. Conversely, older men had thicker cortex in the same regions with higher pollution exposure. This pattern reversed around age 65 for men. The study emphasizes that the brain's response to pollution may differ across the aging process, but further long-term research is needed to determine the implications for Alzheimer's risk.
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