From Inhalation to Neurodegeneration: Air Pollution as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2024-06, Vol.25 (13), p.6928
• Main Authors: Olloquequi, Jordi, Díaz-Peña, Roberto, Verdaguer, Ester, Ettcheto, Miren, Auladell, Carme, Camins, Antoni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - adverse effects; Air Pollutants - toxicity; Air pollution; Air Pollution - adverse effects; Alzheimer Disease - etiology; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer’s disease; Animals; Biomass; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Carbon monoxide; Chlorofluorocarbons; Coal; Dementia; Emissions; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Indoor air quality; Industrial plant emissions; Mortality; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative Diseases - etiology; neuroinflammation; Nitrogen dioxide; Outdoor air quality; Oxidative Stress; Ozone; particulate matter; Particulate Matter - adverse effects; Pollutants; Public health; Risk Factors; Smog; Sulfur; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136928

Air pollution, a growing concern for public health, has been linked to various respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Emerging evidence also suggests a link between exposure to air pollutants and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review explores the composition and sources of air pollutants, including particulate matter, gases, persistent organic pollutants, and heavy metals. The pathophysiology of AD is briefly discussed, highlighting the role of beta-amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and genetic factors. This article also examines how air pollutants reach the brain and exert their detrimental effects, delving into the neurotoxicity of air pollutants. The molecular mechanisms linking air pollution to neurodegeneration are explored in detail, focusing on oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and protein aggregation. Preclinical studies, including in vitro experiments and animal models, provide evidence for the direct effects of pollutants on neuronal cells, glial cells, and the blood-brain barrier. Epidemiological studies have reported associations between exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of AD and cognitive decline. The growing body of evidence supporting air pollution as a modifiable risk factor for AD underscores the importance of considering environmental factors in the etiology and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, in the face of worsening global air quality.