Commitment to the Cognitive Function in the Elderly Due to Exposure to Particulate Material

Abstract

Population aging brings with it health problems that challenge health and social security systems. Getting older does not necessarily mean getting sick. Unless there is an associated disease, aging is associated with good health. Associations between air pollution and adverse cardiopulmonary health effects are well documented. Ultrafine particles (UFP; <100 nm in diameter), found ubiquitously in the air indoors and outdoors, are considered the most toxic component of ambient air pollution. Increasing evidence suggests that air pollutants can also adversely affect the central nervous system (CNS). Epidemiological studies have identified associations between exposure to various ambient air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide with ischemic cerebrovascular events, with one of the first studies reporting an increased risk of stroke due to exposure to coal vapors indoors. As the incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases increases, there is a growing interest in environmental factors that can contribute to the onset and progression of the disease. Air pollution has been known as a major health risk for decades. Although its effects on cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality have been extensively studied, there is growing evidence that exposure to polluted air is associated with impaired cognitive functions at all ages and an increased risk of AD and other dementias later in life; this association is particularly notable with traffic-related pollutants.