Air pollution may raise risk of dementia, analysis says

Breathing in microscopic air pollutants may raise the risk of developing dementia, according to a new analysis of existing research by public health scientists at Harvard, published by The Washington Post.

It has long been known that inhaling these microscopic particles — also known as PM 2.5, particles less than 2.5 microns in width — can cause serious health issues, the analysis added.

“Their relationship to the brain and dementia is a relatively recent thing,” said scientists at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, adding, “Dementia is a massive problem worldwide. If we can reduce exposure to these particles, we can reduce the burden of dementia.”

The article said that, “More than 57 million people globally are living with dementia, a number expected to increase to an estimated 153 million by 2050.”

The Harvard scientists examined studies that used a method known as “active case ascertainment,” a process where every participant is screened with an extensive work-up to confirm a dementia diagnosis, said the study author.

This approach is more accurate than “passive case containment,” which involves random screening and “can miss many cases,” he added.