A team of researchers from the University of Florida has discovered through a recent study that even slight increases in airborne particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations are linked to heightened risks of Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease dementia. The findings of this research have been published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The experts analyzed comprehensive medical records belonging to over 2.1 million Danish residents, aged between 65 and 95, spanning the years 2001 to 2021. During this period, Lewy body dementia (LBD) was diagnosed in three thousand patients, while a variant of the pathology associated with Parkinson’s disease (PDD) was identified in 3,800 study participants. A prerequisite for inclusion in the study was continuous residency at the same address for a decade, which enabled the experts to monitor the individual impact of air pollutants at specific locations throughout this time.
The researchers’ ultimate conclusion is that for every incremental rise in atmospheric particulate matter levels, the risks of LBD increased by approximately fourfold, and the risks of PDD by more than twofold. The specialists noted that the effect of nitrogen dioxide was less pronounced than anticipated; however, escalating NO₂ levels were correlated with a nearly twofold increase in the likelihood of developing Lewy body dementia.
The scientists posit that air pollutants act as triggers for neuroinflammation. Particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide are released into the atmosphere by vehicular traffic, maritime vessels, and fuel combustion. Their microscopic size allows them to enter the bloodstream through respiration and subsequently cross the blood-brain barrier.
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