Clean Air Affects Brain Health

           Two University of Southern California researchers are seeing signs that cleaner air can affect brain health.

           Cars and factories produce fine particulate known as PM2.5 that studies have linked to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease. Smaller than the width of a human hair, these tiny particles, once inhaled, pass directly from the nose up and into the brain, beyond the blood-brain barrier that normally protects the brain.

           In a research letter published in October in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, researchers described how their labs independently reported indications of decreases in neurotoxicity (damage to the brain or nervous system caused by exposure to toxic substances) of PM 2.5.

Sciencedaily.com