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Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

nature.com

11–20 of 138 posts

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#11
post #4

Only so much you can do about ambient pollution in your city. Looking carefully at your cooking situation is worthwhile though. Was horrified by the spike in readings from stuff like steak in a pan

Are there studies showing indoor air pollution from cooking in a residential setting is linked to dementia?

Not sure - it may very well be a different kind of pollution, but the raw PM2.5 values definitely look scary fast with any kind of "dry" cooking where you're browning anything

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#12
post #4

Only so much you can do about ambient pollution in your city. Looking carefully at your cooking situation is worthwhile though. Was horrified by the spike in readings from stuff like steak in a pan

An air purifier is pretty cheap and will cut down on indoor pollution from cooking a lot. Or at least that’s how it seemed from the somewhat unreliable sensor I was using.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier...

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#13

I've heard the argument made that it's better to stop burning fossil fuel, even if you're a climate change denier for reasons like this. Even if you think climate change is a hoax, why not reduce pollution anyway?

I agree. It also reduces the world's dependence on unstable regions.

However, some things that are regarded as renewable (e.g. wood burning, such as the notorious Drax power station in the UK) are more polluting than fossil fuels. Personally I doubt they are even effective at CO₂ reduction. What we need is clean energy.

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#14
In my opinion, the reason air pollution effects dementia risk is through activation of Heat Shock Proteins and I think it is the most valuable place to be investing in research.

Heat Shock Proteins in Alzheimer’s Disease: Role and Targeting

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6163571/

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#15
Does this imply that in 30 years or more we should expect spikes in China, India and other places with exceptional air pollution?

I don't doubt it and they could expect other implications if the pollution also included heavy metals and other chemicals in the air, water and land.

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#16
post #15

Does this imply that in 30 years or more we should expect spikes in China, India and other places with exceptional air pollution? I don't doubt it and they could expect other implications if the pollution also included heavy metals and other chemicals in the air, water and land.

The air pollution in China and India was already awful 30 years ago, so "spike" is not be best choice of word. "Continuation of a high level of dementia" would be better.

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#17
post #4

Only so much you can do about ambient pollution in your city. Looking carefully at your cooking situation is worthwhile though. Was horrified by the spike in readings from stuff like steak in a pan

An air purifier is pretty cheap and will cut down on indoor pollution from cooking a lot. Or at least that’s how it seemed from the somewhat unreliable sensor I was using. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier...

I am homeless, I live in a minivan, and I have a solar battery charger with a small carbon filter/HEPA air filter that I use every night and it helps me so much. I am a very "sensitive" person to many things in the environment, but many times while traveling i find myself in the midst of wildfire smoke. (I also carry a facemask respirator for the same reason).

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#18

In my opinion, the reason air pollution effects dementia risk is through activation of Heat Shock Proteins and I think it is the most valuable place to be investing in research. Heat Shock Proteins in Alzheimer’s Disease: Role and Targeting https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6163571/

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Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#19
post #15

Does this imply that in 30 years or more we should expect spikes in China, India and other places with exceptional air pollution? I don't doubt it and they could expect other implications if the pollution also included heavy metals and other chemicals in the air, water and land.

The air pollution in China and India was already awful 30 years ago, so "spike" is not be best choice of word. "Continuation of a high level of dementia" would be better.

I guess it would be a large and massive upswell in the coming decades because dementia isa trailing indicator and takes decades to have effect on populations. China only started pumping out massive amounts of dirty pollution in the mid 90's and China probably in the 2010s or so, so the impact is yet to hit them but if the conclusions are correct then wow...

Re: Air pollution directly linked to increased dementia risk

#20
post #4

Only so much you can do about ambient pollution in your city. Looking carefully at your cooking situation is worthwhile though. Was horrified by the spike in readings from stuff like steak in a pan

Are there studies showing indoor air pollution from cooking in a residential setting is linked to dementia?

Good question, but I will say yes just based on the science I know. The type of pollutant does not matter, it is whatever effects heat shock proteins to effect protein folding.

Heat shock proteins (and cold shock proteins) are affected by more than temperature, but temperature is really important as well.[1][2]

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21848409/ [2] https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/80/4/glae...

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