Pollution can lead to brain damage and depression warn scientists
The polluted air was the same as that created by cars, factories and natural dust and contained fine particulates about a thirtieth the size of a human hair, 2.5 micrometers, which can reach deep areas of the body's organs.
The concentration of particulates mimicked what humans are exposed to in some polluted urban areas, researchers claimed.
In previous studies in mice it was found that fine air particulate matter caused widespread inflammation in the body and that it could be linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, and the researchers wished to expand on these findings by looking at the brain.
Professor Randy Nelson, a co-author, said: "The more we learn about the health effects of prolonged exposure to air pollution, the more reasons there are to be concerned.
"This study adds more evidence of pollution's negative effects on health."
After 10 months of exposure behavioural tests were carried out on the rodents including a learning and memory test where after five days of training they were placed on a brightly lit area and given two minutes to find the dark escape hole where they would be more comfortable.
The mice who breathed the polluted air took longer to learn where the escape hole was and at later tests they were more likely to forget where it was.
In another experiment, mice exposed to the polluted air showed more depressive-like and higher levels of anxiety-like behaviours in one test, but not in another.
To find out how the pollution led to changes in learning, memory and mood the researchers tested the hippocampal area of the mice brains and found clear physical differences.
Ms Fonken said: "We wanted to look carefully at the hippocampus because it is associated with learning, memory and depression."
They looked at the dendrites, which are the branches that grow off of nerve cells or neurons, which have small projections growing off them called spines, which transmit signals from one neuron to another.
Mice exposed to polluted air had fewer spines in parts of the hippocampus, shorter dendrites and overall reduced cell complexity.
They also discovered some inflammation in the hippocampus and more active chemical messengers that cause inflammation in the mice who breathed the polluted air.
Professor Nelson said: "Previous research has shown that these types of changes are linked to decreased learning and memory abilities.
Parts Of Nerve Cell - News
They looked at the dendrites, which are the branches that grow off of nerve cells or neurons, which have small projections growing off them called spines, which transmit signals from one neuron to another. Mice exposed to polluted air had fewer spines
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By becoming more open to potential new partners, the GlyRS mutants may gain a new function that is toxic to nerve cells. That would explain why CMT type 2D is inherited in a dominant fashion. The team is now looking for proteins that might bind to this
For example, a cell stressed in a certain way will not convert into a nerve cell if it's near a bone. The chances of it becoming a bone cell are higher because of the physical and chemical environment of the existing bone structure.
People with the condition don't have enough of a chemical called dopamine because some nerve cells in their brain have died. This affects the way the brain co-ordinates the movements of the muscles in different parts of the body.
Mice Study Finds Air Pollution Linked to Depression, Memory Issues ...
Laboratory research suggests long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to learning and memory problems and even depression .
Ohio State researchers discovered that the long-term effects of breathing polluted air can cause changes in the brain as well as damage to the heart and lungs.
“The results suggest prolonged exposure to polluted air can have visible, negative effects on the brain, which can lead to a variety of health problems,” said Laura Fonken, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in neuroscience.
“This could have important and troubling implications for people who live and work in polluted urban areas around the world.”
The study appears online this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry .
In previous studies in mice, researchers found that fine air particulate matter causes widespread inflammation in the body, and can be linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
This new study aimed to extend their research on air pollution to the brain.
“The more we learn about the health effects of prolonged exposure to air pollution, the more reasons there are to be concerned,” said Randy Nelson, co-author of the study. “This study adds more evidence of pollution’s negative effects on health.”
In the new study, mice were exposed to either filtered air or polluted air for six hours a day, five days a week for 10 months – nearly half the lifespan of the mice.
The polluted air contained fine particulate matter, the kind of pollution created by cars, factories and natural dust. The fine particulates are tiny – about 2.5 micrometers in diameter, or about 1/30th of the average width of a human hair. These particles can reach deep areas of the lungs and other organs of the body.
The concentration of particulate matter that the mice were exposed to was equivalent to what people may be exposed to in some polluted urban areas, according to the researchers.
After 10 months of exposure to the polluted or filtered air, the researchers performed a variety of behavioral tests on the animals.
In a learning and memory test, mice who breathed the polluted air took longer to learn essential behaviors related to survival and were less likely to remember key behaviors.
In another experiment, mice exposed to the polluted air showed more depressive-like behaviors (such as anxiety ) than did the mice that breathed the filtered air.
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