The article "Long-term exposure to air pollution and risk of dementia among older individuals of a Danish nationwide administrative cohort" by, inter alia, Mariska Bauwelinck, has just been published in "Environment International". The full text of the article is available here.
This large-scale, longitudinal study followed over 930,000 Danish residents aged 60+ for nearly two decades. The researchers found compelling evidence that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and black carbon (BC) is significantly associated with increased incidence of dementia. The associations were particularly strong among individuals over 75, stroke patients, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Key findings:
- All three pollutants (PM₂.₅, NO₂, BC) were independently associated with dementia risk.
- The associations held for both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia subtypes.
- The study emphasizes the vulnerability of certain subgroups and the urgency of pollution mitigation policies, even in countries with relatively low average pollution levels.
Citation: Andersen, Z. J., Lim, Y. H., Zhang, J., Tuffier, S., Cole-Hunter, T., Bergmann, M., ... & So, R. (2025). Long-term exposure to air pollution and risk of dementia among older individuals of a Danish nationwide administrative cohort. Environment International, 109607.
