Urban Air Pollution May Put Children at Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease
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A study led by Dr.Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas and her team from the University of Montana has discovered that children living in urban cities are more likely to develop brain inflammation and neurodegenerative changes, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The team compared serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from children living in a low-pollution area to children living in Mexico City, an area notorious for its poor air quality. The findings show that the children living in Mexico City had significantly higher levels of brain autoantibodies in their systems, as well as combustion-related metals. These indicate that there is damage to the barriers (respiratory, gastrointestinal and the blood-brain) that keep antigens and neurotoxins away from the brain. The study suggests that controlling air pollution in major cities is critical to safeguard public health, especially for young children.
Date & Source: September 10, 2014, ScienceDaily
