A sizable body of evidence demonstrates that exposure to particulate air pollution correlates with an increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions and cognitive decline with age. The most plausible biological explanations revolve around the harmful downstream effects of increased inflammation resulting from the interaction of particles with cells in the respiratory system. Inflammation sustained over the long term, even at relatively low levels, is disruptive to cell and tissue function, contributing to the onset and progression of age-related disease. Ways to control unwanted inflammation that do not also suppress the necessary inflammatory response to infection a…
Particular Air Pollution Exposure Correlates with Worse Cognitive Function
A sizable body of evidence demonstrates that exposure to particulate air pollution correlates with an increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions and cognitive decline with age. The most plausible biological explanations revolve around the harmful downstream effects of increased inflammation resulting from the interaction of particles with cells in the respiratory system. Inflammation sustained over the long term, even at relatively low levels, is disruptive to cell and tissue function, contributing to the onset and progression of age-related disease. Ways to control unwanted inflammation that do not also suppress the necessary inflammatory response to infection a…