Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019;70(s1):S145-S163.
doi: 10.3233/JAD-180631.

Air Pollution and Dementia: A Systematic Review

Ruth Peters  1   2 , Nicole Ee  2 , Jean Peters  3 , Andrew Booth  3 , Ian Mudway  4 , Kaarin J Anstey  1   2
Affiliations

Air Pollution and Dementia: A Systematic Review

Ruth Peters et al. J Alzheimers Dis. 2019.

Abstract

Background: Both air pollution and dementia are current and growing global issues. There are plausible links between exposure to specific air pollutants and dementia.

Objective: To systematically review the evidence base with respect to the relationship between air pollution and later cognitive decline and dementia.

Methods: Medline, Embase, and PsychINFO® were searched from their inception to September 2018, for publications reporting on longitudinal studies of exposure to air pollution and incident dementia or cognitive decline in adults. Studies reporting on exposure to tobacco smoke including passive smoking or on occupational exposure to pollutants were excluded. Using standard Cochrane methodology, two readers identified relevant abstracts, read full text publications, and extracted data into structured tables from relevant papers, as defined by inclusion and exclusion criteria. Papers were also assessed for validity. CRD42018094299Results:From 3,720 records, 13 papers were found to be relevant, with studies from the USA, Canada, Taiwan, Sweden, and the UK. Study follow-up ranged from one to 15 years. Pollutants examined included particulate matter ≤2.5 μ (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone. Studies varied in their methodology, population selection, assessment of exposure to pollution, and method of cognitive testing. Greater exposure to PM2.5, NO2/NOx, and CO were all associated with increased risk of dementia. The evidence for air pollutant exposure and cognitive decline was more equivocal.

Conclusion: Evidence is emerging that greater exposure to airborne pollutants is associated with increased risk of dementia.

Keywords: Air pollutants; cognitive decline; dementia; particulate matter.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ disclosures available online (https://www.j-alz.com/manuscript-disclosures/18-0631r3).

Figures

Fig.1
Fig.1
Flow chart.
Fig.2
Fig.2
Number of studies investigating relationship between exposure to pollutants and cognitive function or dementia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Landrigan PJ, Fuller R, Acosta NJR, Adeyi O, Arnold R, Basu N, Baldé AB, Bertollini R, Bose-O’Reilly S, Boufford JI, Breysse PN, Chiles T, Mahidol C, Coll-Seck AM, Cropper ML, Fobil J, Fuster V, Greenstone M, Haines A, Hanrahan D, Hunter D, Khare M, Krupnick A, Lanphear B, Lohani B, Martin K, Mathiasen KV, McTeer MA, Murray CJL, Ndahimananjara JD, Perera F, Potočnik J, Preker AS, Ramesh J, Rockström J, Salinas C, Samson LD, Sandilya K, Sly PD, Smith KR, Steiner A, Stewart RB, Suk WA, van Schayck OCP, Yadama GN, Yumkella K, Zhong M (2018) The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. Lancet 391, 462–512. - PubMed
    1. Shah AS, Lee KK, McAllister DA, Hunter A, Nair H, Whiteley W, Langrish JP, Newby DE, Mills NL (2015) Short term exposure to air pollution and stroke: Systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 350, h1295. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Block ML, Calderon-Garciduenas L (2009) Air pollution: Mechanisms of neuroinflammation and CNS disease. Trends Neurosci 32, 506–516. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Calderon-Garciduenas L, Reed W, Maronpot RR, Henriquez-Roldan C, Delgado-Chavez R, Calderon-Garciduenas A, Dragustinovis I, Franco-Lira M, Aragon-Flores M, Solt AC, Altenburg M, Torres-Jardon R, Swenberg JA (2004) Brain inflammation and Alzheimer’s-like pathology in individuals exposed to severe air pollution. Toxicol Pathol 32, 650–658. - PubMed
    1. Gonzalez-Maciel A, Reynoso-Robles R, Torres-Jardon R, Mukherjee PS, Calderon-Garciduenas L (2017) Combustion-derived nanoparticles in key brain target cells and organelles in young urbanites: Culprit hidden in plain sight in Alzheimer’s disease development. J Alzheimers Dis 59, 189–208. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms