Particulate matter in air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets. It forms fine inhalable particles with diameters typically 2.5 micrograms (PM2.5) or less. Exposure to particulate matter promotes oxidative stress and increases the risk of developing many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, and diabetes. A recent study found that particulate matter in air pollution from agriculture increases the risk of dementia in older adults.
The study involved more than 27,000 adults enrolled in the Environmental Predictors of Cognitive Health and Aging study. Participants were over the age of 50 and dementia-free at the time of enrollment. Using spatiotemporal and chemical transport models, researchers assessed the participants' exposure to PM2.5 from nine emission sources over a 10-year period.
They found that exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 increased the risk of dementia by 8 percent. When they examined specific PM2.5 sources, they discovered that agriculture PM2.5 increased dementia risk by 13 percent, while wildfire PM2.5 increased risk by 5 percent.
These findings suggest that reducing PM2.5 pollution, particularly from agricultural and wildfire sources, could benefit cognitive health in older adults. However, further research is necessary to validate these findings and explore potential intervention strategies.
Evidence suggests that sulforaphane, a bioactive compound derived from broccoli, counters some of the harmful effects of particulate matter. Learn more about sulforaphane in our comprehensive overview article.
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