air pollution can do a lot of damage to
the human body from the lungs to the
skin to the heart and according to a new
study scientists can now add the brain
that list researchers from Lancaster
University in the UK have found tiny
magnetic particles from air pollution
lodged inside human brains the study's
authors analyzed the brain tissue of 37
people between the ages of 3 and 92 who
lived in Mexico City and Manchester
England and they say they found abundant
magnetite nanoparticles in the samples
which isn't a good sign it causes the
formation of very reactive oxygen
species such as free radicals that cause
cell damage eventually cell death the
hallmarks of diseases like Alzheimer's
disease and researchers say the
particles they found look very similar
to those found in air pollution in urban
areas especially next to busy roadways
they are formed by combustion of
frictional heating from car engines or
brakes now the study doesn't offer any
strong evidence that magnetite causes
Alzheimer's disease or makes it worse
but scientists say they're hopeful the
new study will provide new opportunities
for research into possible environmental
risk factors for all kinds of different
brain diseases according to the
Alzheimer's Association more than 5
million Americans are living with the
disease and Alzheimer's and other types
of dementia will cost the country 236
billion dollars in 2016 alone you can
read more about the study's findings and
the proceedings in the National Academy
of Sciences for newsy I'm kitty lang