Air Pollution Could Increase Neurodegenerative Disease Risk

Is the polluted air many of us breathe every day putting us at risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and more? It turns out that for younger people, this higher risk of health problems caused by exposure to air pollution is a real possibility. Let’s take a look at the link between air pollution and neurodegenerative disease.

What Causes Air Pollution?

 Many factors cause air pollution. The combustion products from vehicle engines and the chemicals and processes used in factories are directly responsible for much of the pollution found in the air, especially in larger cities. But even rural areas may have pollution problems, including pollens, mold and greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide. While living near a large manufacturing plant may contribute to air pollution, we may also encounter unhealthy air while visiting places where people smoke cigarettes, such as bars and casinos. 

Staying away from all air pollution isn’t realistic, but reducing exposure might be important for our health.

Why is Air Pollution Unhealthy?

Air pollution is unhealthy because its particles or chemicals enter the lungs. Our bodies may process some of this without harm, but other particles and chemicals may cause cancer and other health issues. Smoking, for example, is linked to lung cancer due to the carcinogens taken in with each inhalation.

The Air Pollution and Neurodegenerative Disease Link

Recently, scientists have found a link between air pollution and many types of neurodegenerative diseases. This correlation seems to indicate that younger people who live in areas with higher levels of air pollution are at a greater risk of developing these problems. Most neurodegenerative diseases strike later in life, but higher levels of air pollution may mean an earlier onset as well. 

What are Neurodegenerative Diseases?

Neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and various types of motor neuron disease, such as ALS. The study looked at people between 11 and 27 who lived in Mexico City and found that there were neurological markers for serious health conditions in the brainstems of many study participants. 

In short, that means the risk to those people for developing those conditions is higher than it would be in people who didn’t have the markers. Seeing those markers in older people is common, but finding them at such young ages may indicate that the rates of neurodegenerative diseases could soon be on the rise due to current air pollution rates.

How Can We Lower the Risk?

Reducing our risk isn’t easy, but it is important. Now that we have this information, it seems evident that protecting ourselves from air pollution may be an important step in reducing the future risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Many of us live in big cities, though, where staying away from pollution isn’t very realistic. But there are a few precautions we can take to reduce our risk.

Keeping windows closed, using adequate air filtration systems in the home and not going outdoors during hours when pollution levels are highest are just some ways to contain the risk. It’s also important to avoid places where people smoke and to reduce our carbon footprint so there’s simply less overall air pollution. Moving to more rural locations with cleaner air may also be a good choice, but it’s not something everyone can do — lest we turn the rural locations into cities.

Even if it’s not possible to stay away from air pollution completely, the precautions we take today may help us have healthier futures. That seems especially true for children and young adults, who may be able to lower the risk of future health issues by focusing on the choices they make about polluted locations today.

Copyright 2021, Wellness.com