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The Outdoor Air Pollution and Brain Health Workshop
Citation:
Block, M., A. Elder, R. Auten, S. Bilbo, H. Chen, J. Chen, D. Cory-Slechta, D. Costa, D. Diaz-Sanchez, D. Doorman, D. Gold, K. Gray, H. Jeng, J. Kaufman, M. Kleinman, A. Kirshner, C. Lawler, D. Miller, S. Nadadur, B. Ritz, E. Semmens, L. Tonelli, B. Veronesi, R. Wright, AND R. Wright. The Outdoor Air Pollution and Brain Health Workshop. In Proceedings, Air Polution Brain Health NIEHS Workshop, Research Triangle Park, NC, February 02 - 03, 2012. Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, 972-84, (2012).
Impact/Purpose:
Air pollution is a major area of concern to the EPA. Data generated from EPA laboratories during the 1990s and subsequently in other national and international scientifc laboratories have corroborated the linkage between air pollutants and neurotoxicity. The predisposing condition of oxidative stress appears to enhance the neurotoxic susceptibility associated with PM-exposure. It is thought that oxidative stress "compromised" individuals (i.e. elderly, diseased, obese, smokers, etc.) may show an enhanced susceptibility to PM (neuro)toxicity and indeed to other oxidative stress-inducing toxicants (e.g. pesticides, metals, etc.) A corollary of this thinking is that the chronic PM exposure associated with highly polluted geographical areas could result in a continuous, low-level oxodative stress to the brain and other target organs to "compromised" individuals and exacerbate naturally occurring neuropathies. The numerous experimental and clinical studies described in this report conclusively identify the brain as a critical target of PM exposure and implicate oxidative stress as a predisposing factor that links PM exposure and neurotoxic susceptibility.
Description:
Accumulating evidence suggests that air pollution may have a significant impact on central nervous system (CNS) health and disease. To address this issue, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institute of Health convened a panel of research scientists that were assigned the task of identifying research gaps and priority goals essential for advancing this growing field and addressing an emerging human health concern. Here, we review recent findings that have established the effects of inhaled air pollutants in the brain, explore the potential mechanisms driving these phenomena, and discuss the recommended research priorities/approaches that were identified by the panel.
