SEOUL, March 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Exposure to air pollutants like fine dust increases the risk of dementia, a study showed Thursday.
A joint research team from Yonsei University and Gachon University Gil Hospital conducted a survey of 640 healthy adults over 50 years of age over the course of 32 months.
The results showed that a 10 micrograms per cubic meter rise in the concentration level of fine and ultrafine dust and a 10ppb rise in the concentration level of nitrogen dioxide resulted in the thinning of the cerebral cortex by 0.04, 0.03 and 0.05 millimeters, respectively.
The research team used artificial intelligence (AI)-based brain imaging to conduct an index assessment of cerebral atrophy caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
The results showed that the thinning of the cerebral cortex caused by air pollutants is similar to how the cerebral cortex goes through atrophy after contracting Alzheimer’s disease.
The research team also found that a 10 micrograms per cubic meter rise in the concentration level of fine and ultrafine dust, and a 10 parts per billion rise in the concentration level of nitrogen dioxide raises the risk of mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease, by a factor of 1.5, 2.2, and 1.7, respectively.
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