Is Air Pollution Linked To Dementia? Expert Decodes

Air pollution impacts more than just the lungs and heart; it can also affect the brain. Residents of Delhi continue to face hazardous air quality, with the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the “very poor” range. While it is well-known that pollution harms lung, heart, and bone health, recent studies suggest it may also be linked to dementia.

Expert Insight on Air Pollution and Dementia

Dr. Kuldeep Kumar Grover, Head of Critical Care and Pulmonology at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, sheds light on this connection.

“Air pollution may cause dementia, mainly involving inflammation in the brain and oxidative stress (a chemical process in the body that can cause damage to cells, proteins, and DNA). Both oxidative stress and inflammation play a well-established role in the onset and progression of dementia. Air pollution is believed to trigger these processes through direct entry to the brain or via the same mechanisms underlying lung and cardiovascular diseases. Air pollution can also enter circulation from the lungs and travel to solid organs, initiating local and wide-spread inflammation.”

These findings highlight how air pollution might contribute to brain damage by promoting inflammation and oxidative stress, similar to its effects on other organs.

Current Air Quality Challenges

Delhi's AQI remains categorized as very poor, indicating severe pollution levels.
Ongoing exposure to polluted air affects multiple body systems, now possibly including cognitive functions.

Summary

New evidence links air pollution to dementia through brain inflammation and oxidative stress, emphasizing the broad and serious health risks posed by polluted air.

OnlyMyHealth — 2025-11-04