Air Pollution Can Trigger Dementia
Almost every list of the dangers of climate change to humans lists physical effects. Floods and thunderstorms can cause drought. Drought and extreme heat cause heated strokes. Hail can injure people based on its size. Hurricanes are among the most violent weather events in the world.
It turns out that air pollution can affect the brain. It may trigger dementia. The report is from the Medical Research Council’s epidemiology unit at the University of Cambridge. It looked at 51 studies which drew on a total population of 29 million.
According to The Guardian, “Air pollution may cause dementia through causing inflammation in the brain and oxidative stress, which is a chemical process within the body that can cause damage to cells, proteins and DNA.” This certainly means that the problem is greatest in large cities which regularly have high levels of dangerous air quality.
Cities With The Worst Air Quality
The list of cities with high air pollution rates include half a dozen from India, and a large number from Pakistan. China and Bangladesh round out that list. The most dangerous cities in the Western world by the same measure are New York City, Houston, London, and Paris.
Over 55 million people in the world suffer from dementia. This will increase as the population ages. The worldwide cost of dementia is $1.3 trillion. Air quality could make these figures worse.
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