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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
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Measuring Carbon Content in Airway Macrophages Exposed to Carbon-Containing Particulate Matters
Published on: July 12, 2024
Air Pollution and Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Ludovico Baiamonte1,2, Domenico Tarantino1,2, Manuela Lodico1,3
1Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Stroke Radiology, UOC Neurology, AOUP 'P. Giaccone', 90100 Palermo, Italy.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Fine particulate matter exposure, specifically PM2.5, is linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This systematic review found PM2.5 significantly increases AD probability, while other common air pollutants showed no clear association.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neuroscience
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia globally.
- Environmental factors, particularly air pollution, are increasingly investigated for their role in AD risk.
- Existing research on air pollution and AD risk is inconclusive due to study heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze studies examining the association between air pollutant exposure and Alzheimer's disease risk.
- To identify specific air pollutants linked to an increased probability of developing AD.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases.
- Inclusion criteria focused on studies quantitatively assessing the link between air pollutants and AD risk.
- Meta-analysis performed to calculate pooled risk estimates for various pollutants.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and increased Alzheimer's disease risk (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.36-2.23).
- No significant association was supported for other analyzed pollutants: PM10 (HR 1.35), NO2 (HR 1.34), and O3 (HR 1.03).
- A total of 27 studies were included from 1081 retrieved records.
Conclusions:
- PM2.5 exposure is strongly associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, suggesting potential neurotoxic effects.
- The role of PM10, NO2, and O3 in AD risk was not clearly established in this analysis.
- Findings should be interpreted cautiously due to heterogeneity in AD definitions across studies; further research is warranted.
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