Exposure to bushfire smoke linked to dementia

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-26 03:00

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A study of more than 1.2 million people in California has found that exposure to fine particulate matter in bushfire smoke is linked to a higher risk of developing dementia. the authors found that a small (1-μg/m3) increase in the 3-year mean of wildfire fine particle exposure was associated with an 18% increase in the odds of a dementia diagnosis. In comparison, the same small increase in exposure to non-bushfire fine particles was only associated with a 1% increase in dementia diagnosis.

Media release

From: JAMA

Wildfire Smoke Exposure and Incident Dementia

JAMA Neurology
Original Investigation

About The Study: In this cohort study, after adjusting for measured confounders, long-term exposure to wildfire and non-wildfire fine particulate matter (PM2.5) over a 3-year period was associated with dementia diagnoses. As the climate changes, interventions focused on reducing wildfire PM2.5 exposure may reduce dementia diagnoses and related inequities.

(doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2024.4058)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Neurology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Pennsylvania, USA

Funder: Drs Benmarhnia, Casey, Mayeda, and Tartof and Mr Frankland were supported by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Aging grant R01-AG071024. Dr Casey was also supported by the NIH National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences grant P30-ES007033.

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