Breathing polluted air could cause toxic particles to be transported from the lungs to the brain, through the bloodstream, which could contribute to brain disorders and neurological damage, reveals a new study.
Scientists have discovered a possible direct pathway used by various fine particles to through the blood circulation, with indications that, once there, they remain longer in the brain than in other main metabolic organs.
The results of the research, from the University of Birmingham (UK) and various scientific institutions in China, were published in the journal PNAS.
Inhaled Toxic Particles Take Direct Route From Lungs to Brain#toxic #particles #lungs #brain #airpollution https://t.co/8IcllVoKlF
—Environmental Center (@greendailynews) June 22, 2022
Fine particles in cerebrospinal fluid
Scientists revealed that had found various fine particles in human cerebrospinal fluid taken from patients who had suffered brain disorders, which revealed a process that can give rise to that toxic substances in the form of particles end up in the brain, explains a statement from the aforementioned university.
Iseult Lynch, from the University of Birmingham, points out that there are gaps in knowledge about the harmful effects of fine particles on the central nervous system. “This work sheds new light on the relationship between the inhalation of particles and their subsequent movement through the body,” he clarifies.
The data suggest that up to eight times more fine particles can reach the brain traveling from the lungs, through the bloodstream, than passing directly through the nose.
According to the authors, these results add new evidence on the relationship between air pollution and the harmful effects of said particles in the brain.
“Particulate Matter”: toxic components
Air pollution is a cocktail of many toxic components and the term PM – acronym in English for “Particulate Matter”– is used to describe a mixture of small solid and liquid particles found in the air.
These particles are divided into categories based on their size and especially fine ones, such as PM2.5 and PM0.1 are the most concerning in terms of harmful effects on health.
In Specifically, ultrafine particles are capable of escaping the body’s protective systems, including sentinel immune cells and biological barriers.
It has recently been shown that there is a strong relationship between high levels of air pollution and marked neuroinflammation, changes similar to those that occur in Alzheimer’s and with cognitive problems in the elderly and even in children , recalls the university.
The team of scientists discovered that inhaled particles can enter the bloodstream, eventually reaching the brain and causing damage to the blood-brain barrier and surrounding tissues.
Once in the brain, the particles are difficult to eliminate and are retained for longer than in other organs.
Although these results provide new evidence of the risks of particulate pollution to the central nervous system, scientists recommend further investigation of the mechanics of how inhaled environmental fine particles manage to reach the brain.
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