Scan Life Posted on 2025-03-26 11:30:00

Study: Air pollution harms brain health in the elderly - Scans showed damage to areas responsible for attention and memory

From SCAN TV

Study: Air pollution harms brain health in the elderly - Scans showed damage to
A new study conducted in Taiwan has found that air pollution can harm brain health in the elderly. The study, published by National Yang Ming University, found that air pollution can stimulate the immune system through smell, causing inflammation, the Taipei Central News Agency reported.

This inflammation can damage the blood-brain barrier, leading to damage to the brain's blood vessels, ultimately affecting neurological health.

Using models to estimate 10-year levels of air pollution, the researchers studied 412 people aged 60 and over, living in rural and urban areas.

They also underwent cognitive tests and MRI scans to analyze changes in their brain structure. The MRI scans showed structural changes in areas of the brain responsible for attention and memory when pollutant concentrations were reduced.

Air pollution, said researchers from the National Institute of Public Health at Yang Ming University, is a risk factor for impaired cognitive function.

According to them, the study clarifies the relationship between air pollution and brain health in the elderly. Improving air quality, they say, could improve brain health and cognitive function in older adults, delaying the risk of dementia.

 

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