A lengthy study stretching over 27 years has unveiled how sustained exposure to air pollutants can dramatically escalate the risk of dementia . The Denmark-based research pinpointed air pollution as a contributing "key factor" to the degenerating memory condition. Dementia continues to be an escalating global concern with estimations projecting a leap from 60 million cases in 2019 to 150 million by 2050.
Despite advancements in medical interventions, there is yet no definitive treatment for dementia, making the recognition of preventable risk factors crucial. The discoveries reported in the Alzheimer's and Dementia journal emphasise the broader implications of air pollution extending beyond its recognised impact on respiratory and cardiovascular health; it also significantly impinges on brain health. The study sought to explore these potential correlations in Denmark, a nation with comparatively low but nonetheless important levels of air pollution.
This extensive research covered a time frame of 27 years, spanning from 1993 to 2020, observing a cohort of Danish nurses, making it one of the largest studies of its nature. The investigation specifically concentrated on female nurses who were 44 years old or more in 1993, supplemented with additional participants in 1999. Findings suggested that chronic exposure to several air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM2.
5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) correlated with a heightened risk of dementia. For i.
