Alzheimer’s risk may increase with exposure to air pollution, new research shows
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People who are heavily exposed to air pollution may face a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study conducted by Emory University in Atlanta.
Air pollution has previously been established as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, as well as other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke and depression, the researchers noted.
Since those other conditions are themselves linked to Alzheimer’s, researchers say it’s not clear whether air pollution damages brain health on its own, or whether it raises the risk of dementia by predisposing those other health problems.
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The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, surveyed more than 27.8 million US Medicare recipients, age 65 and older, from 2000 to 2018.
These people were assessed for exposure to air pollution and whether they developed Alzheimer’s, focusing on other chronic conditions.
Air pollution may have a direct link to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, a new study has found. (Stock)
High exposure to air pollution was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, which was slightly stronger in people who had had a stroke. High blood pressure and depression had a “small additional effect,” according to the study report.
The authors concluded that air pollution leads to Alzheimer’s mainly through “direct mechanisms” and not through other chronic conditions.
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“Our findings suggest that people with a history of stroke may be particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution on brain health, highlighting an important link between environmental and vascular risk factors,” the authors wrote in a statement.
These findings suggest that improving air quality could be “an important way to prevent dementia and protect older adults,” the press release concluded.
Air quality may be “an important mechanism for preventing dementia and protecting older adults,” the researchers suggest. (Stock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel confirmed that further research revealed that Alzheimer’s is linked to conditions affecting the brain, which can be “sensitive and fragile.”
“Certainly, existing medical conditions like stroke can lead to this,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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This latest study “does not show cause and effect,” the doctor noted, but rather shows “an increasing association between air pollution and Alzheimer’s, where particulate matter appears to increase inflammation in the brain that helps lead to it.”
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“This is another piece in building a strategy for prevention, early diagnosis and targeted treatment,” added Siegel.
People with a history of stroke may be more vulnerable to air pollution, according to researchers. (Stock)
Ozama Ismail, PhD, director of scientific programs at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, agreed that this study adds to existing research on the impact of air pollution and overall health, especially related to the brain.
“Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and there may be various factors … that affect the risk of a person’s life.”
“This is an area of investigation where more research is important to help us better understand the connection between pollution and various factors that cause or contribute to Alzheimer’s disease,” Ismail, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital.
“Previous studies, including those presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International conference in 2019, 2021 and 2025, have shown evidence of a link between exposure to air pollution and other environmental toxins and the risk of Alzheimer’s or other dementias.”
“Avoid exposure to air pollution is a risk factor that may be easier for some people to change than others,” said one expert. (Stock)
The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention added air pollution exposure to its list of known dementia risk factors in 2020, according to Ismail.
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“We know that Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and there are likely to be various factors, combined, that contribute to the risk of a person’s life,” he said. “Avoid exposure to air pollution is a risk factor that may be easier for some people to modify than others.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s authors for comment.
