Aarón Salinas-Rodríguez1, Julián Alfredo Fernández-Niño2, Betty Manrique-Espinoza3, Grea Litai Moreno-Banda4, Ana Luisa Sosa-Ortiz5, Zhengmin Min Qian6, Hualiang Lin7. 1. National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Electronic address: asalinas@insp.mx. 2. Departamento de Salud Pública, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. 3. National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Electronic address: bmanrique@insp.mx. 4. National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Electronic address: glmoreno@insp.mx. 5. Laboratory of Dementias, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, CDMX, Mexico. 6. College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, USA. Electronic address: zhengmin.qian@slu.edu. 7. Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China. Electronic address: linhualiang2002@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological research has shown that exposure to fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) is associated with a reduction in cognitive function in older adults. However, primary evidence comes from high-income countries, and no specific studies have been conducted in low and middle-income countries where higher air pollution levels exist. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association between the exposure to PM2.5 and cognitive function in a nationally representative sample of older Mexican adults and the associated effect modifiers. METHODS: Data for this study were taken from the National Survey of Health and Nutrition in Mexico carried out in 2012. A total of 7986 older adults composed the analytical sample. Cognitive function was assessed using two tests: semantic verbal fluency and three-word memory. The annual concentration of PM2.5 was calculated using satellite data. Association between exposure to PM2.5 and cognitive function was estimated using two-level logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: In adjusted multilevel regression models, each 10 μg/m3 increase in ambient PM2.5 raised the odds of a poorer cognitive function using the three-word memory test (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.74), and reduced the number of valid animal named in the verbal fluency test (β = -0.72, 95% CI: -1.05, -0.40). Stratified analyses did not yield any significant modification effects of age, sex, indoor pollution, urban/rural dwelling, education, smoking and other factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports an association between exposure to PM2.5 concentrations and cognitive function in older adults. This is particularly relevant to low- and middle-income countries, which are marked by a rapid growth of their aging population and high levels of air pollution.
BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological research has shown that exposure to fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) is associated with a reduction in cognitive function in older adults. However, primary evidence comes from high-income countries, and no specific studies have been conducted in low and middle-income countries where higher air pollution levels exist. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association between the exposure to PM2.5 and cognitive function in a nationally representative sample of older Mexican adults and the associated effect modifiers. METHODS: Data for this study were taken from the National Survey of Health and Nutrition in Mexico carried out in 2012. A total of 7986 older adults composed the analytical sample. Cognitive function was assessed using two tests: semantic verbal fluency and three-word memory. The annual concentration of PM2.5 was calculated using satellite data. Association between exposure to PM2.5 and cognitive function was estimated using two-level logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: In adjusted multilevel regression models, each 10 μg/m3 increase in ambient PM2.5 raised the odds of a poorer cognitive function using the three-word memory test (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.74), and reduced the number of valid animal named in the verbal fluency test (β = -0.72, 95% CI: -1.05, -0.40). Stratified analyses did not yield any significant modification effects of age, sex, indoor pollution, urban/rural dwelling, education, smoking and other factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports an association between exposure to PM2.5 concentrations and cognitive function in older adults. This is particularly relevant to low- and middle-income countries, which are marked by a rapid growth of their aging population and high levels of air pollution.
Authors: Joseph L Saenz; Sara D Adar; Yuan S Zhang; Jenny Wilkens; Aparajita Chattopadhyay; Jinkook Lee; Rebeca Wong Journal: Environ Int Date: 2021-06-26 Impact factor: 9.621
Authors: Erin R Kulick; Gregory A Wellenius; Amelia K Boehme; Nina R Joyce; Nicole Schupf; Joel D Kaufman; Richard Mayeux; Ralph L Sacco; Jennifer J Manly; Mitchell S V Elkind Journal: Neurology Date: 2020-04-08 Impact factor: 11.800