Air pollution can drive devastating forms of dementia, research finds

This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration

Fine-particulate air pollution can drive devastating forms of dementia by triggering the formation of toxic clumps of protein that destroy nerve cells as they spread through the brain, research suggests.

Exposure to the airborne particles causes proteins in the brain to misfold into the clumps, which are hallmarks of Lewy body dementia, the third most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

The finding has “profound implications” for preventing the neurodegenerative disorder, which affects millions worldwide, with scientists calling for a concerted effort to improve air quality by cutting emissions from industrial activity and vehicl