Frequently Exposed to Air Pollution? Beware of Alzheimer's

Medical Video: Researchers Link Air Pollution To Alzheimer's

Indonesia is a country in the top 10 countries that have the highest pollution levels in the world, this was stated by the World Resource Institute (WRI). Whereas in big cities like Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, and Tangerang, according to research conducted by the Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes), the level of pollution that has occurred has entered a dangerous level. According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the dangerous level of pollution is the level of air quality which can generally cause serious health problems in a community group. One of the effects of pollution exposure is the risk of Alzheimer's.

What evidence is that air pollution causes Alzheimer's?

One study conducted in Sweden, found that people who are often exposed to air pollution have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Similar to the results of previous studies, a study conducted on 399 elderly women in Germany, found that exposure to air pollution caused damage to cognitive function in the group. While in the United States, studies conducted on 1,764 adults, suggest that groups that are more often exposed to air pollution have less cognitive abilities than people who are not too often exposed to pollutants.

Research conducted in Taiwan in 2014, said that if the group is often exposed to nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide has a high risk of experiencing dementia, which is also a risk of Alzheimer's disease.

How can air pollution cause Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's is a disease caused by damage to brain tissue resulting in memory and thought disorders. This can happen if the body is exposed to continuous pollutants. The effects of air pollution on the nervous system are chronic and appear after accumulating for a long time, even years later. Polluted air contains various chemicals that are very dangerous if inhaled by the body. For example, carbon monoxide pollutants, which are substances that come from the disposal of motorized vehicles. Inhaled carbon monoxide with a low level only, can interfere with brain and nervous system functions, such as memory disorders, motor and visual abilities, and concentration.

The relationship between air pollution and the nervous system is not known exactly, but many experts conclude that air containing pollution then inhaled by the body will cause damage to nerve tissue and oxidative stress. When the air pollution enters the body, some nerve cells that function to keep the brain from exposure from the outside become active, namely microglia cells and capillary endothelial brain. Excess microglia cell activity will cause inflammation in other nerve cells which then causes disruption of brain function.

The body does have a guard system so that it is not polluted by various exposures from the outside which are harmful to the body. In normal circumstances and air pollution that is not too high, the nose will be the main fortress of the body so that harmful substances from pollution do not enter the body. Inside the nose, there is a mucous or mucous layer that acts as a barrier to these substances. But what happens now is chronic air pollution, which may be every day substances from various remaining fuel inhaled by the nose. Air pollution that is continuously inhaled by the nose will damage the nervous system in the nose and the mucus layer that protects the nose. This results in these pollutants entering and reaching the brain and activating microglia cells which then damage the nerve tissue slowly.

How to avoid air pollution if we live in a big city?

Maybe you can't reduce the level of air pollution that is already very high in your place. But you can do the following methods to avoid and reduce the adverse effects on your health:

Do regular exercise in the morning. Sports carried out in the morning not only maintain health and fitness, but at that time the level of pollution is still quite low. You can exercise while breathing in the morning air which is not too polluted.
Avoid rush hour. If you do not work and want to travel out of the house, it is better to avoid traffic jams and busy hours such as departure hours and hours of work, because at this time the air pollution is very high. If forced, protect your nose and mouth using a mask.

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