Air pollution linked to silent strokes

Conclusion This cross-sectional study has suggested a link between exposure to small particles in the air (one form of pollution) and the presence of "silent stroke" in older adults – small areas of damage to the brain tissue that are not severe enough to cause obvious symptoms. There are a number of limitations to be aware of when assessing the results of this study: While there was an association between particulate matter in the air and total brain volume, this was no longer statistically significant after taking into account whether people have conditions such as high blood pressure, which can also affect their risk of stroke. While the researchers did try to take into account factors such as smoking, alcohol intake and diabetes, which could be having an effect on risk, this may not remove their effect totally. There may also be various other unmeasured factors that could account for the association seen. This makes it difficult to be sure whether any link seen is directly due to the pollution itself. The researchers could only estimate people’s air pollution exposure based on average air quality of where they lived in one year. This may not provide a good estimate of a person’s lifetime exposure. While the news extrapolated these findings to suggest a link between air pollution and people’s risk of dementia, this is not what the study assessed. While areas of "silent stroke" can often be seen in people who have vascular demen...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Neurology Source Type: news