A current research study checked out a potential connection in between particular amino acids and increased dementia danger connected to PM2.5 air contamination exposure. While not definitive, the research study recommended that high homocysteine or low methionine levels might interact with pollution to elevate dementia threat, stressing the need for a deeper understanding of the systems behind air pollutions effect on the brain.
Raised levels of amino acids related to vitamin B might be associated with the danger of dementia linked to a specific kind of air contaminant referred to as particulate matter, according to a research study recently published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The research study does not develop a causal relationship in between pollution or amino acids and dementia, it shows a possible connection amongst them.
Scientist looked at fine particulate matter, PM2.5, which consists of toxin particles of less than 2.5 microns in size suspended in air. Homocysteine is an amino acid produced in the cells that can be transformed to methionine through a response that needs both vitamin B12 and folate, a nutrient important in red blood cell development and for healthy cell development and function.
” Previous studies have actually discovered a link in between air pollution and dementia risk, but we do not have a good understanding of the mechanisms through which air pollution affects the brain,” said study author Giulia Grande, MD, PhD, of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. “In this research study, we found that two types of vitamin B-related amino acids played a role in increasing or decreasing the danger of dementia triggered by air pollution.”
Scientist looked at fine particulate matter, PM2.5, which consists of pollutant particles of less than 2.5 microns in size suspended in air. They likewise looked at 2 amino acids, methionine and homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid produced in the cells that can be transformed to methionine through a response that requires both vitamin B12 and folate, a nutrient essential in red blood cell development and for healthy cell development and function.
The individuals who established dementia had an average exposure to PM2.5 contamination of 8.4 micrograms per cubic meter ( µg/ m3), compared to 8.3 µg/ m3 for the people who did not establish dementia.
For the research study, over 2,500 adults with an average age of 73 living in main Stockholm were followed for as much as 12 years. Of these, 376 people developed dementia.
Participants finished interviews and blood tests, along with surveys on exercise and diet routines.
Scientist then calculated annual typical levels of PM2.5 at the home addresses of the individuals. Individuals who established dementia had an average direct exposure to PM2.5 contamination of 8.4 micrograms per cubic meter ( µg/ m3), compared to 8.3 µg/ m3 for individuals who did not establish dementia. These annual typical levels of PM2.5 are low compared to the average levels of PM2.5 in the rest of Europe, which is 13.8 μg/ m3.
After adjusting for a number of elements that impact a persons risk of dementia consisting of age, sex, smoking, and education, researchers discovered that the threat of dementia increased by 70% for every one µg/ m3 boost of PM2.5 direct exposure during the 5 years before the start of the research study.
Scientists looked at whether the effect of air pollution direct exposure on dementia was impacted by the amino acids.
In general, researchers discovered that about half of the increased danger of dementia due to PM2.5 was due to an interaction in between air contamination and high homocysteine levels or low methionine levels.
” Our results showed that raised homocysteine levels and low methionine worths played a function in determining the dementia danger related to air contamination, but likewise revealed that a considerable direct result of air pollution on dementia exists suggesting that air contamination affects the advancement of dementia through numerous paths,” Grande said. “This highlights the requirement for additional research into the precise biological mechanisms behind the brain damage of air contamination.”
Reference: “Association of Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution and Dementia Risk– The Role of Homocysteine, Methionine, and Cardiovascular Burden” by Giulia Grande, Babak Hooshmand, Davide Liborio Vetrano, David A Smith, Helga Refsum, Laura Fratiglioni, Petter Ljungman, Jing Wu, Andrea Bellavia, Kristina Eneroth, Tom Bellander and Debora Rizzuto, 13 July 2023, Neurology.DOI: 10.1212/ WNL.0000000000207656.
A limitation of the research study was that it included just the Kungsholmen district of Stockholm, which is small, so comparisons relating to air contaminants were limited.
The research study was funded by Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Swedish Research Council, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare and several Swedish structures.