A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that severe dust exposure among a subset of World Trade Center (WTC) responders is associated with higher rates of dementia before the age of 65 years. Study: Incidence of dementia before age 65 years among World Trade Center attack responders. Image Credit: Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.
com The collapse of the Twin Towers of the WTC on September 11, 2001, led to the release of an enormous cloud of dust, debris, and numerous toxic substances that spread throughout most of lower Manhattan and other parts of New York City. First responders, residents, and workers in this area experienced many immediate health effects following exposure to these toxins, some of which included respiratory issues, eye and skin irritation, as well as worsening of pre-existing conditions like asthma. Long-term exposure has also been associated with several chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, and other diseases.
More recently, researchers have reported that WTC first responders who reported heavy exposure to dust and particulate matter experience cognitive dysfunction, cognitive decline, and widespread cerebral atrophy, all of which are risk factors for dementia at midlife. As compared to the average population, the incidence of dementia in individuals before 65 years of age is relatively low at 1.19 cases for every 1,000 person-years (PY).
The current study's researchers assessed cognition and functional limitations in 5,010 WTC general respo.