Air pollution exposure tied to dementia
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* Kim Krisberg

Air pollution exposure is linked with a higher risk of developing dementia, according to a recent study.

Published in August in *Environmental Health Perspectives*, the study is based on data from thousands of Seattle-area residents taking part in the Adult Changes in Thought Study, as well as data on air pollution exposure.

Researchers found that a small increase in levels of fine particle air pollution averaged over a decade were associated with a greater risk of dementia. In fact, the study found that just one microgram per cubic meter difference between addresses was associated with 16% higher incidence of dementia.

Many factors are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, such as age, heart health, exercise and genetics. Thanks to a growing body of research, air pollution is now a recognized risk as well.

“How we’ve understood the role of air pollution exposure on health has evolved from first thinking it was pretty much limited to respiratory problems, then that it also has cardiovascular effects, and now there’s evidence of its effects on the brain,” senior study author Lianne Sheppard, a University of Washington professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and biostatistics, said in a news release.

About 5 million U.S. adults over age 65 were estimated to have dementia as of 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the growing aging population, that total is estimated to grow to nearly 14 million by 2060.

The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for as much as 80% of dementia cases. People with dementia can experience symptoms of cognitive decline, such as problems with memory, attention and recognition, that interfer with their daily lives.

Dementia is not considered a normal part of aging, according to CDC.

Individuals can protect themselves from air pollution exposure by wearing masks or taking other measures, said study co-author Rachel Shaffer, MPH, a doctoral student at the University of Washington.

“But it is not fair to put the burden on individuals alone,” she said in the news release. “These data can support further policy action on the local and national level to control sources of particulate air pollution.”

*Michele Late contributed to this story.*

*   Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association