Particulate Air Pollution and Risk of Neuropsychiatric Outcomes. What We Breathe, Swallow, and Put on Our Skin Matters

Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas, Elijah W. Stommel, Ravi Philip Rajkumar, Partha S. Mukherjee and Alberto Ayala
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Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas: College of Health, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
Elijah W. Stommel: Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
Ravi Philip Rajkumar: Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry 605006, India
Partha S. Mukherjee: Interdisciplinary Statistical Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700108, India
Alberto Ayala: Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: We appraise newly accumulated evidence of the impact of particle pollution on the brain, the portals of entry, the neural damage mechanisms, and ultimately the neurological and psychiatric outcomes statistically associated with exposures. PM pollution comes from natural and anthropogenic sources such as fossil fuel combustion, engineered nanoparticles (NP ? 100 nm), wildfires, and wood burning. We are all constantly exposed during normal daily activities to some level of particle pollution of various sizes—PM 2.5 (?2.5 µm), ultrafine PM (UFP ? 100 nm), or NPs. Inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption are key portals of entry. Selected literature provides context for the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) ambient air quality standards, the conclusions of an Independent Particulate Matter Review Panel, the importance of internal combustion emissions, and evidence suggesting UFPs/NPs cross biological barriers and reach the brain. NPs produce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, neurovascular unit, mitochondrial, endoplasmic reticulum and DNA damage, protein aggregation and misfolding, and other effects. Exposure to ambient PM 2.5 concentrations at or below current US standards can increase the risk for TIAs, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, cognitive deficits, dementia, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Residing in a highly polluted megacity is associated with Alzheimer neuropathology hallmarks in 99.5% of residents between 11 months and ?40 y. PD risk and aggravation are linked to air pollution and exposure to diesel exhaust increases ALS risk. Overall, the literature supports that particle pollution contributes to targeted neurological and psychiatric outcomes and highlights the complexity of the pathophysiologic mechanisms and the marked differences in pollution profiles inducing neural damage. Factors such as emission source intensity, genetics, nutrition, comorbidities, and others also play a role. PM 2.5 is a threat for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Thus, future research should address specifically the potential role of UFPs/NPs in inducing neural damage.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s; Parkinson’s; quadruple aberrant proteins; particulate matter; air pollution; nanoparticles; pollution neurology and psychiatric outcomes; ultrafine particles; internal combustion emissions; wildfires (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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