Trends in Neurosciences
ReviewAir pollution: mechanisms of neuroinflammation and CNS disease
Section snippets
Air pollution defined
Air pollution is comprised of a diverse mixture of particulate matter (PM), gases (e.g. ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides), organic compounds (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and endotoxins) and metals (e.g. vanadium, nickel, and manganese) present in outdoor and indoor air [5]. Of these components, PM and ground-level ozone are the most widespread health threats and have been heavily implicated in disease 2, 4. In fact, millions of people in the USA and
Ischemic stroke
While it is well-known that air pollution affects human health through cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality, it has only recently been shown that these deleterious effects extend to the brain. The impact of air pollution upon the brain was first noted as an increase in ischemic stroke in individuals exposed to indoor coal fumes [16]. In the United States, stroke is the number one cause of adult disability and the third most common cause of death, behind only cancer and heart
Route of CNS effects
Recent advances have provided key insights into how air pollution exerts deleterious effects on the brain. Specifically, cerebral vascular damage, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration in response to air pollution are believed to occur through four major pathways (Figure 1).
Cellular mechanisms of neuroinflammation
In addition to understanding how the effects of air pollution reach the brain, recent studies have begun to address the cell types that mediate air pollution-induced CNS pathology.
Summary and conclusions
In summary, air pollution is a complex mixture of environmental toxicants that assault the CNS through several cellular and molecular pathways to cause disease. CNS effects are chronic, beginning in childhood, and may take time (years) to accumulate pathology. Specifically, air pollution causes neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, cerebrovascular damage, and neurodegenerative pathology. The effects of air pollution cross from the periphery to the brain through systemic inflammation and
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the NIEHS/NIH Pathway to Independence Award R00ES01549.
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