Study finds toxic air pollution particles in human brains

The study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examined brain tissue from 37 people in Manchester and Mexico, aged between 3 and 92. Abundant particles of magnetite, an iron oxide toxic to the brain, was found in the tissue and abnormal accumulation of these brain metals is a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease. While this raises concerns, the new work is still a long way from proving that the air pollution particles cause or exacerbate Alzheimer’s.