Air pollution, glymphatic impairment, and Alzheimer's disease
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › Research › peer-review
Epidemiological evidence demonstrates a link between air pollution exposure and the onset and progression of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, current understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms is limited. This opinion article examines the hypothesis that air pollution-induced impairment of glymphatic clearance represents a crucial etiological event in the development of AD. Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) leads to systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation, increased metal load, respiratory and cardiovascular dysfunction, and sleep abnormalities. All these factors are known to reduce the efficiency of glymphatic clearance. Rescuing glymphatic function by restricting the impact of causative agents, and improving sleep and cardiovascular system health, may increase the efficiency of waste metabolite clearance and subsequently slow the progression of AD. In sum, we introduce air pollution-mediated glymphatic impairment as an important mechanistic factor to be considered when interpreting the etiology and progression of AD as well as its responsiveness to therapeutic interventions.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Trends in Neurosciences |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 11 |
Pages (from-to) | 901-911 |
Number of pages | 11 |
ISSN | 0166-2236 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
- aging, amyloid plaques, CSF, neurodegeneration, ultrafine particles
Research areas
ID: 371286861