Health
Dementia risk rises with exposure to wildfire smoke, per Alzheimer’s Association: 'Real problem'
Exposure to wildfire smoke could increase the risk of dementia, researchers have discovered.
A 10-year study of more than 1.2 million people in southern California — an area experiencing frequent wildfire activity — found that wildfire smoke can be “particularly hazardous” for brain health.
The Alzheimer’s Association announced the findings during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia on Monday.
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The study found that wildfire smoke increases dementia risk more than other types of air pollution, including emissions from motor vehicles and factories called fine particle matter (PM2.5), according to a press release from the Alzheimer’s Association.
A 10-year study of more than 1.2 million people in southern California — an area experiencing frequent wildfire activity — found that wildfire smoke can be “particularly hazardous” for brain health. (iStock)
The microscopic droplets in wildfire smoke were found to have a “notably stronger” effect on dementia risk with even less exposure, the researchers found.
High levels of PM2.5 also have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, asthma and low birth weight.
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The study analyzed data from Californians age 60 years or older between 2009 and 2019, determining the participants’ exposure according to where they lived.
The researchers observed a 21% increase in the likelihood of dementia diagnosis for every 1 microgram increase of PM2.5 per meter.
Researchers analyzed the health records of 1,227,241 southern Californians, none of whom had been diagnosed with dementia at the start of the study. (iStock)
Dr. Claire Sexton, senior director of scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer’s Association, told Fox News Digital that exposure to air pollution is known to be bad for brain health, as previous reports have linked PM2.5 to dementia.
“Each year, approximately 44 million people are exposed to unhealthy air quality due to wildfires worldwide.”
Improving air quality could help to protect cognitive function and reduce dementia risk, according to Sexton.
“Each year, approximately 44 million people are exposed to unhealthy air quality due to wildfires worldwide,” she said. “Wildfires are increasing around the globe in frequency, severity and duration.”
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This new study highlighted several reasons that wildfire smoke is more dangerous, Sexton said.
Wildfire smoke is produced at higher temperatures and contains a greater concentration of toxic chemicals compared to other forms of air pollution, she noted.
Trees burn during the Park Fire near Chico, California, on July 26, 2024. (Benjamin Fanjoy/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Wildfire smoke also produces a smaller diameter of PM2.5 than other sources, Sexton added.
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“With the rising global incidence of wildfires — including current wildfires in California, Oregon, Alaska and the southwestern U.S. — exposure to wildfire smoke is an increasing threat to brain health.”
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Research shows that on “poor air quality days” in California, air pollution produced by wildfires accounts for more than 70% of total fine particulate exposure, according to Sexton.
A firefighter watches a prescribed burn as the Max Fire burns in Lancaster, California, June 16, 2024. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is a real problem,” she said.
To lower the risk of exposure, Sexton recommends that people update their home air filtration systems and stay inside during periods of unhealthy air quality.
Researchers also suggest wearing an N95 mask outdoors when the Air Quality Index is over 100.
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A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.
The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men — mostly Swedish or European — aged 50 to 74.
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All participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years. During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests. (iStock)
Stockholm3 missed “significantly fewer” serious cancer cases than PSA. The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.
Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are “truly dangerous.”
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“Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups,” she said.
“These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted,” the researcher added. “A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures.”
“A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures,” a researcher commented. (iStock)
Study co-author Hari Vigneswaran, chief medical officer of Stockholm3-maker A3P Biomedical, commented on these “promising” findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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He confirmed that the PSA has been the standard for prostate cancer screening since the 1990s despite its “well-documented limitations.”
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“It leads to invasive and costly follow-up testing, contributes to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive cancers and, most importantly, it misses a substantial share of aggressive disease,” Vigneswaran said.
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival is close to 100%. (iStock)
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.
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Data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database show that metastatic prostate cancer has risen over the past decade, suggesting that “we have not improved early detection of the aggressive, curable disease that screening is meant to catch,” Vigneswaran said.
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“The goal of screening is to find the cancers that need treatment while they are still curable, without raising the number of men who screen positive but don’t have aggressive disease,” he said.
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher. (Getty Images)
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher.
The findings did have some limitations. Stockholm3 is an investigational device and is not available for sale in the U.S., Vigneswaran noted.
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The test estimates a man’s risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease.
The company plans to seek FDA approval to use the test for routine screening and will “generate the evidence needed to support that pathway, including U.S. data,” Vigneswaran said.
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Scientists have linked eating leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli to better lung health.
There are two primary forms of vitamin K found in foods. The primary kind is vitamin K1, found mainly in vegetables, which plays a major role in the body’s blood-clotting process.
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Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods, certain dairy products, eggs and meats and helps regulate calcium in the body and supports bone health.
Researchers at Australia’s Edith Cowan University examined whether dietary intake of vitamins K1 and K2 was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and lung function.
Leafy green vegetables are high in vitamin K1, a nutrient that researchers have observed conributes to improved lung health. (iStock)
“Chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, are among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases worldwide and were the third leading cause of death in 2019, accounting for 4 million deaths and affecting 454.6 million individuals globally,” the scientists reported in the introduction to their study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“Although asthma and COPD can be managed with available treatments, neither condition is curable, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies,” they added.
The leading cause of COPD is smoking, the Mayo Clinic reported. Exposure to other irritants, such as dust, chemicals and pollution, can also cause it.
The researchers analyzed data from 179,062 participants over a 10-and-a-half-year period and concluded that, “Higher dietary vitamin K1 intake was associated with better lung function and a lower rate of COPD.”
Researchers found that people who increased their vitamin K1 intake were less likely to develop COPD. (iStock)
Participants who consumed the most vitamin K1 had a 16% lower likelihood of COPD, the researchers observed. The effects were more pronounced in smokers and participants with high-risk occupations.
Consumption of vitamin K2 did not result in lower COPD rates.
“No association was observed for vitamin K1 or vitamin K2 intakes and asthma,” the researchers also wrote.
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Associate Professor Marc Sim, who was involved in the study, said that it’s likely Vitamin K activates a protein that may help keep lung tissue flexible and prevent damage.
Because the study was observational, it cannot prove that vitamin K1 directly reduces COPD risk, only that higher intake was associated with better lung health.
Researchers have associated higher consumption of leafy green vegetables with better lung function. (iStock)
Just one extra serving of leafy greens “is an achievable way to boost your vitamin K1 intake,” said Chengfeng Li, one of the study’s researchers.
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Other foods rich in vitamin K1 include collard greens, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts and turnip greens.
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