Air Pollution and Dementia: Suspicions Strengthen

A new meta-analysis links long-term exposure to air pollution with an increased risk of dementia. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, examined data from 34 previous studies, including 30 million people worldwide.

Researchers identified a significant association between dementia and three forms of pollution: particulate matter PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon.

The analysis showed that every 10 μg/m³ increase in PM2.5 concentration raises the risk of dementia by 17%. Similarly, a 10 μg/m³ increase in NO2 concentration is associated with a 3% increase in risk, while for black carbon, every 1 μg/m³ increase leads to a 13% increase in risk.

Christian Brendel of Cambridge, the study's first author, stated that the research supports the view that long-term exposure to air pollution is a risk factor for dementia.

The study also showed that air pollution increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease, but primarily vascular dementia.