Polluted Cities Have Increased Suicide And Alzheimer’s Rates

Metropolitan Mexico City has a population of over 24 million residents which are exposed to concentrations of tiny particulate matter and ozone levels on a daily basis that are above US Environmental Protection Agency standards. Researchers studied 203 autopsies of Mexico residents aged 11 months to 40 years old to track 2 abnormal proteins which are indicative of Alzheimer’s disease development, these were detected in early stages even in babies.

Hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease start in childhood in polluted environments, effective preventative measures must be implemented early, it is almost too late to take reactive actions decades later, according to physician and Ph.D toxicologist Calderon-Garciduenas.

Beta amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau which are two abnormal proteins were found in elevated levels in the brains of young citizens living with lifelong exposure to PM2.5 pollution. Apolipoprotein E was also tracked which is another genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s, in addition to PM2.5, these particles are at minimum 30 times smaller than the diameter of a single strand of human hair which frequently are the cause of haze of urban areas.

Researchers findings are suggestive that Alzheimer’s starts to develop in early childhood with progression relating to age, APOE 4 status and particulate exposure. Hallmarks of the disease was found among 99.5% of subjects examined in Mexico city. APOE 4 carriers have increased risks of rapid Alzheimer’s progression and 4.92 increased odds of committing suicide vs APOE 3 carriers, controlling for particle exposure and age.

Researcher have documented an accelerated and early disease process for Alzheimer’s in residents who live in Mexico City who are highly exposed. Detrimental effects are thought to be caused by tiny particles of pollution that enter the brain via breathing through the nose, mouth, lungs and gastrointestinal tract, these particles damage all of the barriers within the body and travel everywhere through the circulatory system.

It was concluded that ambient air pollution is a critical modifiable risk of all people worldwide, which includes American citizens who are also exposed to harmful levels of particulate pollution. Neuroprotection measure should start early including the prenatal period, moving on through childhood to adulthood, according to researchers. Defining nutritional, metabolic, genetic, pediatric, and environmental risk factors are paramount to preventing Alzheimer’s disease.