Scientists who exposed laboratory mice to the type of air pollution found near freeways -- already proven to cause respiratory disease, cancer, heart attacks and premature death -- have now linked such pollutants to brain damage.
Mice exposed for 150 hours spread over 10 weeks showed damage similar to that caused by Alzheimer´s Disease and signs of memory loss. Study senior author Caleb Finch said inhaled particulates appear to affect brain neurons.
The study was inspired by research from Mexico that showed that the brains of accident victims in smoggy Mexico City showed significantly more inflammation and other signs of Alzheimer´s than did those of victims from Veracruz, which has cleaner air.
