Air pollution may contribute to development of dangerous disease, research claims  

Air pollution from transport can be associated with a high risk of dementia, including the deadly and incurable Alzheimer's disease, said scientists from the University of California at Davis.

The results of their new research have been published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

According to EurekAlert!, during the experiment, the experts exposed male and female rats to purified or polluted air for 14 months. The study used both wild-type animals and those with genes that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease and similar to human DNA. Rodents were tested at 3, 6, 10, and 15 months to quantify possible manifestations of dementia, including neuropathological changes and behavioral disturbances.

Air pollution associated with traffic, increased biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, not only in animals that express the high-risk gene, but also in wild-type rats. According to the researchers, this means that poor air quality may actually contribute to dementia in old age and explain why the number of cases of Alzheimer's disease is increasing worldwide.

Ultra-fine particulate matter was found in the animal's brains, and the level in the air is not monitored, unlike particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). According to scientists, it is necessary to revise the current standards, since they do not exclude the harmful effects on the aging brain.