The research highlights that air pollution may directly increase brain vulnerability to neurodegeneration and contribute to cognitive decline, emphasizing the importance of addressing environmental factors in dementia prevention.

The study combines large-scale epidemiological analysis of over 56 million Medicare records with animal experiments, revealing that higher PM2.5 levels correlate with increased hospitalizations for Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s disease with dementia.

Genetic analysis of mice exposed to pollution showed gene activity patterns similar to those in human Lewy body dementia, indicating a biological link between air pollution and the disease.

Pollution exposure in mice also triggered brain inflammation and immune responses that mirror patterns seen in human patients, suggesting a broader disruption of brain health caused by air pollution.

Experiments on mice demonstrated that PM2.5 exposure leads to brain atrophy, neuronal death, and cognitive impairments, especially in mice with alpha-synuclein, a protein central to Lewy body dementia pathology.

The study found that air pollution induces the formation of a toxic, resistant strain of alpha-synuclein that spreads through the brain, mimicking disease pathology across samples from China, the US, and Europe.

A groundbreaking study published in Science links long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) with an increased risk of developing Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by abnormal protein buildup in the brain.

Given that dementia affects over 57 million people worldwide, with Alzheimer’s accounting for 60-70% of cases, environmental factors like pollution are emerging as significant contributors alongside traditional risk factors such as age and lifestyle.

Higher levels of PM2.5 are also strongly associated with Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, including amyloid and tau pathologies, independent of genetic risk factors like the APOE ε4 allele.

The research underscores the importance of raising awareness about the neurological risks of pollution, especially among high-risk groups such as those with a family history of dementia, and suggests protective measures like masks and environmental adjustments.

In India, the air quality crisis is severe, with PM2.5 levels often exceeding WHO safe limits by several times, especially in cities like Delhi, which has an average PM2.5 level of 95 μg/m³, raising concerns about long-term neurological health impacts.

Experts emphasize that reducing PM2.5 pollution could be a crucial public health strategy to prevent or delay neurodegenerative diseases like Lewy body dementia, advocating for stricter air quality regulations.

Future research aims to identify specific harmful components within PM2.5, explore gene-environment interactions, and develop targeted prevention strategies to mitigate pollution’s neurodegenerative effects.