Air Pollution-Related Neurotoxicity Across the Life Span

Air pollution is a complex mixture of gases and particulate matter, with adsorbed organic and inorganic contaminants, to which exposure is lifelong. Epidemiological studies increasingly associate air pollution with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, findings supported by experimental animal models. This breadth of neurotoxicity across these central nervous system diseases and disorders likely reflects shared vulnerability of their inflammatory and oxidative stress-based mechanisms and a corresponding ability to produce brain metal dyshomeostasis. Future research to define the responsible contaminants of air pollution underlying this neurotoxicity is critical to understanding mechanisms of these diseases and disorders and protecting public health.

Automated summary

Air pollution is a complex mixture that exposes individuals to a lifelong exposure of gases, particulate matter, and contaminants. Studies increasingly associate air pollution with neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, supported by animal models. The shared mechanisms of inflammation, oxidative stress, and brain metal dyshomeostasis across these diseases highlight the need for future research to identify responsible contaminants and protect public health.