Wildfire Smoke Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia

image via New Scientist

November 26, 2024, 5:00 PM

• •A new study finds that long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with an increased risk of dementia diagnosis.
• •The study found that wildfire smoke increases the risk of dementia significantly more than particulate matter from other sources.
• •The study also found that certain demographics are at higher risk than others, including people with lower incomes and people of color.

A new study finds that long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with an increased risk of dementia. The study, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, found that for every one microgram increase in wildfire pollution per cubic meter of air over the course of a three-year period, the odds of dementia diagnosis rise by about 18 percent. The study also found that certain demographics are at higher risk than others, including people with lower incomes and people of color.

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