Air polluted particles in brain – identified as magnetite- were found by scientists who claimed that these particles commonly breathed in can cause adverse impacts in the brain.
Air polluted particles in brain may be linked to Alzheimer’s
Magnetite are less than 150 nanometers in size and were found in the frontal cortex of the brain where they congregate. Alarmingly, these particles are toxic to the brain.
The findings were made by researchers from Lancaster University, UK.
The study covered brain samples taken from 37 participants living either in Manchester UK or Mexico City, whose samples were analyzed for magnetism and discover what are present in the brain.
They found six different particles that contained magnetic properties with the use of a spectroscopy and singled out magnetite as the most harmful. Incidentally, magnetite is also present in polluted air.
Professor Barbara Maher, who leads the study says that magnetite particulates are always present in pollution, which is a mineral form of iron. Magnetite easily reacts to release free radicals that is responsible for oxidative stress in brain cells and kills them.
“For now, these are potential environmental risk factors for Alzheimer’s [disease],” says Maher, but points out that evidence of this is still limited and stresses the need to look deeper into this theory.
Getting into the brain
Maher and her team believe that the entry point of these particles is the olfactory bulb found at the top of the nose, where it then makes contact with the brain.
“There’s no blood-brain barrier there,” says Maher, where the particles are then transported to other regions of the brain. “That’s a real vulnerability.”
The microscopic size of the magnetite prevents it from getting filtered by the hairs and the mucus lining of the nose, which allows the particles to get into the bloodstream and travel up to the brain.
The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is a cause of death for 1.3 million casualties worldwide and is a primary factor for chronic and acute respiratory diseases.
The WHO further reports that studies prove pollutants that are released into the air are the most harmful compared water and land pollutants.
Among the many deadly diseases associated with air pollution are stroke, ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Second hand smoke from cigarettes also contributes to air pollution and is as toxic as the effects of burning fossil fuels.
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