Toxic smog may be eroding brain health, worsening Dementia: Study

Delhi’s air pollution is not only a respiratory hazard but could also be undermining brain health, particularly among older citizens. With fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels often far above the World Health Organization’s safety thresholds, neurologists caution that prolonged exposure may accelerate conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

A recent paper in JAMA Neurology accessed by TOI has drawn a strong connection between PM2.5 exposure and the worsening of Alzheimer’s-related brain damage.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania studied over 600 brain autopsy cases between 1999 and 2022, mapping individuals’ pollution exposure before death or their last dementia evaluation. Those who lived with higher levels of PM2.5 showed more advanced Alzheimer’s disease-related neuropathological changes (ADNC).
Among participants with clinical dementia records, long-term exposure was also linked to more severe cognitive and functional decline. The researchers concluded that nearly two-thirds of the pollution–dementia link was explained by Alzheimer’s-related brain deterioration.

Doctors sound the alarm

Specialists in India say the findings confirm what they are already witnessing in clinics. Dr Manjari Tripathi of AIIMS notes that air pollution plays a role in neurological disorders ranging from stroke to dementia, warning that its effect on the brain may be as damaging as tobacco.

“Pollution is linked to many neurological disorders, including stroke and dementia. The rising incidence of these conditions could well be tied to worsening air quality. This correlation has already been clearly documented in several Western studies, and I see no reason to believe it would be different for India,” she told TOI.
Echoing the concern, Dr Daljit Singh of Max Smart Hospital highlighted that dementia is rapidly becoming a pressing public health challenge in India, with almost every family knowing someone affected. He stressed that poor air quality must now be considered a major risk factor.
“Both senile and pre-senile dementia are a global burden, and almost every family here already knows someone affected or at risk,” Dr Daljit Singh shared with the news outlet. “Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s remains debatable, pollution is now firmly considered a high-risk factor.”
Clinicians also report real-time changes in their patients during severe smog episodes. A

ccording to Dr P N Renjen of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, families often notice increased confusion, disrupted sleep, and behavioural disturbances in older relatives after days of heavy pollution. He explained that microscopic particles can cause chronic brain inflammation, oxidative stress, and damage to small blood vessels—accelerating decline in those already vulnerable.

“Numerous Delhi families and clinicians report increases in confusion, sleep disruption and behavioural symptoms following prolonged ‘bad-air’ episodes. Such clinical findings are now validated by emerging epidemiologic and pathological evidence. Mechanistically, particles can initiate chronic neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, small-vessel damage, and may exacerbate pathological protein accumulation — all of which hasten clinical decline in vulnerable older adults. That makes dirty air a reasonable accelerant of pre-existing dementia,” he said.

Protecting the vulnerable

Doctors recommend families adopt precautionary measures for those at risk. These include wearing N95-grade masks when outdoors, using air purifiers indoors, limiting exposure to dusty environments, and following a diet rich in antioxidants to reduce oxidative damage.

As India’s elderly population grows, experts warn that dementia linked to environmental factors like toxic air could become a silent epidemic.