Air pollution is a “likely” cause of dementia, government advisers have said, after a landmark study backed the theory.
Toxic emissions are a well-known risk factor for heart and lung disease, but particulate matter from vehicles is also said to have negative health effects outside of these settings.
A group of government experts, the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (Comeap), has made the first official acknowledgment that air pollution damages the brain.
Their report states: “There is evidence that air pollution, particularly particulate air pollution, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, including cerebrovascular disease. These diseases are known to have adverse effects on cognitive function. Therefore, our view is that there is likely to be a causal relationship between the particles in the air
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