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Environmental Toxins Effect on the Aging Brain

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Aug 15, 2019
  • 4 min read


Recently, the standards for car emissions were relaxed which would then threaten air pollution standards. Thankfully, the automobile industry rejected the new emission standards and will continue to develop and produce cars that are environmentally friendly. Why is this so important to me? We think of air pollution being a cause of lung problems. But the brain is directly impacted by air pollution.


Research on the Effects of Air Pollution on the Brain

I found a study published in the New York Times a while back that was titled “Pollution May Age the Brain”. There were 1403 women in this study who didn’t have any dementia diagnosis. The health study covered a ten-year period – 1996 – 2006. The participants ranged in ages from 71 – 89 years old when they had MRI scans to measure their brain volume. The comparative data used in the analysis included residential histories and air pollution data used to measure their air pollution exposure from 1999 – 2006. Previous studies had already confirmed that air pollution can cause inflammation and damage to the vascular system, but the results of this study demonstrated that air pollution can actually cause brain damage. As Dr. Jiu-Chiuan Chen from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California states, “Particles in the ambient air are an environmental neurotoxin to the aging brain.” This study was done in the United States.


This study really drove home how vulnerable our brains are to environmental influences. So, I looked further to see if there were other environmental factors that are placing us at risk for dementia. Not only did I find that our ever day products can put us at increased risk for Alzheimer disease but also other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) or otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.


When Our Brain Is Most Vulnerable to Environmental Toxins

There are two periods in our life when our brain is the most vulnerable to environmental toxins – during fetal development and in older age. There are major concerns about exposures early in life that don’t manifest neurological conditions until later in life. There have been an increased number of studies over the past ten years that have looked at low-level lead exposures on adults’ cognitive abilities later in life. There was a study done with 466 older participants from the VA Normative Aging Study who were environmentally exposed to lead. Lead accumulates in our bones but can be mobilized over time as part of the aging process. “The study demonstrated that higher bone lead levels were associated with steeper declines in these men’s cognitive ability over several years of follow-up.” (Grossman, Sept. 2014) There was a subset of this study group where low-level of lead exposure combined with chronic stress are associated with a decrease in cognitive ability. Think back to our younger days: there was lead in gasoline, lead in paint, lead pipes that made up our plumbing systems. These study results are unnerving.


Effects of Metals, Pesticides, and Solvents on the Brain

Lead and mercury have been associated with liver disease. The adverse neurological health effects of this duo are a type of neuronal plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Let’s continue on with our metals, pesticides, and solvents effects on the brain. There is evidence connecting certain metals (lead, manganese), pesticides (paraquel, maneb), and solvents (toluene, trichloroethylene) with neurological symptoms characteristic of Parkinson’s disease. Here is a breakdown of common neurodegenerative diseases and their causes:


· Alzheimer’s disease: the most common neurodegenerative disease, afflicting more than 5 million Americans. Alzheimer’s is perceived to be an aging disease with most diagnosis coming to those 65 and over. Metals, including aluminum, zinc, copper, and lead have been linked to inducing plaques causing neurodegeneration to the brain, which serves as our metal ion concentration regulator.


· Parkinson’s disease: the second most common neurodegenerative disease. About 1 million Americans have Parkinson’s disease. Risk factors for PD include exposures to pesticides (often seen in rural residents who consume well water), metals, and solvents. Miners and welders are at risk for PD by accumulating large amounts of manganese in the body.


· Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): characterized by degeneration of lower motor neurons in the brainstem and ventral horn of the spinal cord. More than 30,000 Americans have ALS. The links to environmental exposure are still not well established, but some scientists contend that exposures to lead, mercury, and pesticides are risk factors.

(Aging Exchange, 2014)


Solvent Exposure and Neurological Conditions

There is substantial evidence to point to the link between solvent exposures and neurological conditions. These conditions include cognitive impairments, neuropathy, and pseudodementia (temporary neurologic dysfunction producing symptoms similar to dementia). Our hormonal system is especially vulnerable to subtle exposures to chemicals. Thyroid hormones are essential for healthy brain development and function and in later life these hormones do different things at different periods of the life cycle. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dioxins, and pesticides can all interfere with human hormones and promote diabetes and obesity. This increases hypertension (HBP) and CVD (cardiovascular disease) which in turn can lead to neurodegenerative effects by reducing oxygen to the brain cells. When chemicals interfere with human hormones, they decrease the potential for exercise which is crucial to maintain strong physical and cognitive abilities.


Here some ideas on reducing your everyday exposure to environmental toxins:

· Choose foods with limited pesticides

· Opt from renovation materials that are less dangerous for the environment

· Use batteries without mercury (cell button batteries contain mercury)


Knowledge is power when you use that knowledge. Pay attention to what you eat, what products you use on your landscaping, and do your best to do whatever you can to control air pollution. Everyone is impacted by environmental influences. We will protect ourselves and others when we work for safe environmental policies.


References:

Bakalar,N. (June 22, 2015). Pollution may age the brain. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/pollution-may-age-the-brain/?_r=1&utm_source=Brain...


Environmental Impact on Brain Aging: Scientist Studies How Toxins Accelerate Neurodegeneration. (Spring 2014). Aging Exchange Tracking the Way We Age: CALC Center on Aging and the Life Course.


Grossman, E. (September, 2014). Time after time: environmental influences on the aging brain. Environmental Health Perspectives; 122(9). DOI:10.1289/ehp.122-A238.

 
 
 

Comments


We are already into June! I am not moving as fast as time apparently. I am just preparing for the “lazy, hazy days of summer”.

June is anything but lazy.  This is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.  This month brings to light the value of living a brain healthy lifestyle, the importance of early detection, and the support that is available for those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

The FDA approved the blood test that detects Alzheimer’s disease and identifies what stage of the disease is present.  These tests will be available in doctor’s offices.  What does this mean?  Diagnosing Alzheimer’s was a bit of hit or miss because the methods of diagnosis were complicated and not definitive.  The primary care doctor had to figure out what specialist to refer the patient and lose more diagnostic time trying to get them an appointment.  Determining how far the disease had progressed was even more of a challenge.  With this blood test, immediate results and staging allows immediate, appropriate care to be initiated.  In the early stages of the disease a person can maintain a higher quality of life for a longer period.

The Alzheimer’s Association National Event – Outshine the Darkness of Alzheimer’s.  The Longest Day is celebrated on June 21, the summer solstice.

This is a global effort to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, with participants choosing activities they love to do while fundraising.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) promotes a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by highlighting the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

National Safety Month includes safety measures for seniors – fall prevention, safe medication use, home safety modifications. Check with you local Area Agency on Aging for information.

 

Over the past few years, I have had a friend, Carol Meyer, who has been a part of My Boomer Brain.  Carol has her own publication, InFlow that is published quarterly.  It is amazing.  InFlow Magazine - Your Digital Dose of Inspiration is just that.  She has chosen some of my blogs to publish in InFlow and I am grateful.  She wants me to extend an invitation to look at InFlow for yourself.  Here is the link and access information:

https://inflowmagazine.gumroad.com/l/Issue11

Scroll to ‘Name a fair price’

Enter ‘0’ in the ‘name a fair price’ field to get it for free

Click ‘I want this’ and follow the prompts

 

With summer just around the corner, I’m booking online and in-person presentations for July.  Topics are varied and topical, ranging from memory care, the aging brain, brain health, cognitive resilience, and many more.  If you are interested in organizing an event or want to discuss how brain health can be integrated into your community or organization, please reach out to me directly at patricia@myboomerbrain.com

 

Finally, if you are looking for more in-depth strategies and a roadmap to better health, I encourage you to explore my book, The Boomer Brain. It is a resource designed for anyone over 40 who wants to understand how lifestyle choices impact cognitive aging and what you can do to keep your brain sharp for years to come.  Find it on Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1962133613

 

Slow down your time and enjoy the laid-back pace of summer. 

Pat

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