Linking Alzheimer's to Pollution, Study Finds 'Abundant' Toxic Nanoparticles in Human Brains
Toxic magnetic particles suspected of link to Alzheimer's disease discovered in brains of people living in heavily polluted areas
Toxic magnetic nanoparticles from air pollution have been discovered in "abundant" quantities in human brains, according to a new study.
The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), is particularly alarming because other research recently raised the strong possibility of a link between such particles and Alzheimer's disease.
"Magnetite in the brain is not something you want to have because it is particularly toxic there."
--Professor Barbara Maher,
Lancaster UniversityThis latest study "suggests that most magnetite found in the human brain, a magnetic iron oxide compound, comes from industrial air pollution. And because unusually high concentrations of magnetite are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, the findings raise the specter of an alarming new environmental risk factor for this and other neurodegenerative diseases," writes Science.
The researchers examined the brains of 37 people in Mexico City, Mexico, and Manchester, U.K., and discovered "abundant" amounts of magnetite and other nanoparticles deemed toxic.
The new research "suggests the particles can be inhaled and enter the brain through the olfactory nerve, which takes information about smells to the brain," according to the Telegraph.
Professor Barbara Maher of Lancaster University, who headed the study, told the Guardian: "You are talking about millions of magnetite particles per gram of freeze-dried brain tissue--it is extraordinary."
"Magnetite in the brain is not something you want to have because it is particularly toxic there," she added, explaining that the metal can create free radicals, which have been linked to Alzheimer's. "Oxidative cell damage is one of the hallmark features of Alzheimer's disease, and this is why the presence of magnetite is so potentially significant, because it is so bioreactive."
"Abnormal accumulation of brain metals is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease and a recent study showed that magnetite was directly associated with the damage seen in Alzheimer's brains," the Guardian notes.
The Guardian reports on Maher's further findings:
"Many of the magnetite particles we have found in the brain are very distinctive," said Maher. "They are very rounded nanospheres, because they were formed as molten droplets of material from combustion sources, such as car exhausts, industrial processes and power stations, anywhere you are burning fuel."
"They are abundant," she said. "For every one of [the crystal shaped particles] we saw about 100 of the pollution particles. The thing about magnetite is it is everywhere." An analysis of roadside air in Lancaster found 200m magnetite particles per cubic metre.
Furthermore, said Maher: "We also observed other metal-bearing particles in the brain, such as platinum, cobalt and nickel. Things like platinum are very unlikely to come from a source within the brain. It is a bit of an indicator of a [vehicle] catalytic converter source."
"This is a discovery finding, and now what should start is a whole new examination of this as a potentially very important environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease," Maher said. "Now there is a reason to go on and do the epidemiology and the toxicity testing, because these particles are so prolific and people are exposed to them."
The negative health impacts of air pollution have recently come into stark relief, with the UN saying last week that it kills as many people as cancer.
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just two days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Toxic magnetic nanoparticles from air pollution have been discovered in "abundant" quantities in human brains, according to a new study.
The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), is particularly alarming because other research recently raised the strong possibility of a link between such particles and Alzheimer's disease.
"Magnetite in the brain is not something you want to have because it is particularly toxic there."
--Professor Barbara Maher,
Lancaster UniversityThis latest study "suggests that most magnetite found in the human brain, a magnetic iron oxide compound, comes from industrial air pollution. And because unusually high concentrations of magnetite are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, the findings raise the specter of an alarming new environmental risk factor for this and other neurodegenerative diseases," writes Science.
The researchers examined the brains of 37 people in Mexico City, Mexico, and Manchester, U.K., and discovered "abundant" amounts of magnetite and other nanoparticles deemed toxic.
The new research "suggests the particles can be inhaled and enter the brain through the olfactory nerve, which takes information about smells to the brain," according to the Telegraph.
Professor Barbara Maher of Lancaster University, who headed the study, told the Guardian: "You are talking about millions of magnetite particles per gram of freeze-dried brain tissue--it is extraordinary."
"Magnetite in the brain is not something you want to have because it is particularly toxic there," she added, explaining that the metal can create free radicals, which have been linked to Alzheimer's. "Oxidative cell damage is one of the hallmark features of Alzheimer's disease, and this is why the presence of magnetite is so potentially significant, because it is so bioreactive."
"Abnormal accumulation of brain metals is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease and a recent study showed that magnetite was directly associated with the damage seen in Alzheimer's brains," the Guardian notes.
The Guardian reports on Maher's further findings:
"Many of the magnetite particles we have found in the brain are very distinctive," said Maher. "They are very rounded nanospheres, because they were formed as molten droplets of material from combustion sources, such as car exhausts, industrial processes and power stations, anywhere you are burning fuel."
"They are abundant," she said. "For every one of [the crystal shaped particles] we saw about 100 of the pollution particles. The thing about magnetite is it is everywhere." An analysis of roadside air in Lancaster found 200m magnetite particles per cubic metre.
Furthermore, said Maher: "We also observed other metal-bearing particles in the brain, such as platinum, cobalt and nickel. Things like platinum are very unlikely to come from a source within the brain. It is a bit of an indicator of a [vehicle] catalytic converter source."
"This is a discovery finding, and now what should start is a whole new examination of this as a potentially very important environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease," Maher said. "Now there is a reason to go on and do the epidemiology and the toxicity testing, because these particles are so prolific and people are exposed to them."
The negative health impacts of air pollution have recently come into stark relief, with the UN saying last week that it kills as many people as cancer.
Toxic magnetic nanoparticles from air pollution have been discovered in "abundant" quantities in human brains, according to a new study.
The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), is particularly alarming because other research recently raised the strong possibility of a link between such particles and Alzheimer's disease.
"Magnetite in the brain is not something you want to have because it is particularly toxic there."
--Professor Barbara Maher,
Lancaster UniversityThis latest study "suggests that most magnetite found in the human brain, a magnetic iron oxide compound, comes from industrial air pollution. And because unusually high concentrations of magnetite are found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, the findings raise the specter of an alarming new environmental risk factor for this and other neurodegenerative diseases," writes Science.
The researchers examined the brains of 37 people in Mexico City, Mexico, and Manchester, U.K., and discovered "abundant" amounts of magnetite and other nanoparticles deemed toxic.
The new research "suggests the particles can be inhaled and enter the brain through the olfactory nerve, which takes information about smells to the brain," according to the Telegraph.
Professor Barbara Maher of Lancaster University, who headed the study, told the Guardian: "You are talking about millions of magnetite particles per gram of freeze-dried brain tissue--it is extraordinary."
"Magnetite in the brain is not something you want to have because it is particularly toxic there," she added, explaining that the metal can create free radicals, which have been linked to Alzheimer's. "Oxidative cell damage is one of the hallmark features of Alzheimer's disease, and this is why the presence of magnetite is so potentially significant, because it is so bioreactive."
"Abnormal accumulation of brain metals is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease and a recent study showed that magnetite was directly associated with the damage seen in Alzheimer's brains," the Guardian notes.
The Guardian reports on Maher's further findings:
"Many of the magnetite particles we have found in the brain are very distinctive," said Maher. "They are very rounded nanospheres, because they were formed as molten droplets of material from combustion sources, such as car exhausts, industrial processes and power stations, anywhere you are burning fuel."
"They are abundant," she said. "For every one of [the crystal shaped particles] we saw about 100 of the pollution particles. The thing about magnetite is it is everywhere." An analysis of roadside air in Lancaster found 200m magnetite particles per cubic metre.
Furthermore, said Maher: "We also observed other metal-bearing particles in the brain, such as platinum, cobalt and nickel. Things like platinum are very unlikely to come from a source within the brain. It is a bit of an indicator of a [vehicle] catalytic converter source."
"This is a discovery finding, and now what should start is a whole new examination of this as a potentially very important environmental risk factor for Alzheimer's disease," Maher said. "Now there is a reason to go on and do the epidemiology and the toxicity testing, because these particles are so prolific and people are exposed to them."
The negative health impacts of air pollution have recently come into stark relief, with the UN saying last week that it kills as many people as cancer.