Understanding the link between air pollution and dementia
The Harvard Chan-NIEHS Center for Environmental Health is collaborating with Biogen to investigate the growing body of research that links air pollution and brain health. The Center is conducting a meta-analysis of the scientific literature that has proliferated significantly within the past two years.
In March 2021, the Center jointly hosted a symposium, “Air Pollution and Dementia: Bridging Disciplines to Identify Mechanisms,” inviting a panel of experts to discuss varying perspectives on the issue. From these discussions, attended by more than 100 participants, as well as subsequent conversations with various stakeholders, the need became apparent for a greater understanding of any potential links between air pollution and the development of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
The Harvard meta-analysis will be the most comprehensive systematic review of this subject to date. It includes studies ranging across populations in nine countries across three continents and for the first time includes prospective cohort studies – a type of study that follows participants over time and therefore yields particularly valuable insights for a question of this nature.
In reviewing this large body of data at this moment in time, we are again struck by the need to place health and equity at the heart of climate talks and for COP26 to be successful in elevating the level of global ambition in addressing climate change.
The results of the analysis will be submitted for peer review and shared broadly with the scientific community in 2022 to help guide further research.
