Scientists uncover link between smoke, air pollution and Alzheimer’s

Researchers have discovered how wildfire smoke or air pollutants could be contributing to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Scientists from Scripps Research in California found the chemical change, known as S-nitrosylation, disrupts normal brain cell function by preventing cells from making new connections.

The process can be triggered by inflammation, ageing or toxins found in air pollution, smoke and pesticides, ultimately resulting in cellular death.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study showed that blocking S-nitrosylation in a key brain protein partially reversed signs of memory loss in Alzheimer’s mouse models, as well as in nerve cells produced from human stem cells.

“We’ve revealed the molecular details of how pollutants can contribute to memory loss and neurodegenerative disease,” said clinical neurologist and senior author Professor Stuart Lipton.

“This could ultimately lead to new drugs that block these effects to better treat Alzheimer’s disease.”