New Research Alert!

Not Geography Geography Lesson 8

Blocked Up Brains

This week is even later than last week but better late than never! We are focusing on some really new and interesting research as recommended by my academic tutor, who was one of the researchers on the project (she keeps her lovely doggo in her office, so you know already it's gonna be good). For the first time ever, she and her colleagues investigated some quite shocking links between vehicle pollution and Alzheimer's disease. This research has only just been published and has been featured on the BBC, Guardian, Independent and Sky (to name a few) already, so it's pretty current stuff!

The Teeniest Tiniest Particles 

Whenever any kind of fossil fuel (oil, coal, petrol, diesel) is burnt to produce energy, it releases a whole host of nasties - carbon dioxide and monoxide, sulphur dioxide (which causes acid rain), and Particulate Matter (PM). PM is microscopic little particles of all kinds of chemicals, which get blasted out into the air and float around undetected because they are so light and small.

This study focused on a specific kind of PM made from the element magnetite, which is a metal with magnetic properties (no prizes for guessing that one). The size of PM, including the magnetite PM can vary, but the focus here is on some of the smallest sizes - 2.5 microns, known as PM2.5. Don't stress too much about how small a micron is, just know that it is very very small. Smaller than an ant's little toenail. Smaller than all the patience I have for golf. Super small.

Magnetite is naturally occurring in little amounts in human bodies without causing any health issues, and is distinguished as being naturally occurring by having jagged edges when looked at under a microscope. 

Braaaaains!

My tutor and her team looked at the amounts of magnetite in 37 different samples of brain tissue, including those of people who had Alzheimer's disease. The donors were from New Mexico (exotic) and Manchester (not so exotic). They found that the brains contained high amounts of the little magnetite particles, but they were not the jagged shapes that they should normally be - they were rounded and spherical. Whilst that doesn't sound very exciting, it actually is because it proves for the first time ever, that PM released from exhausts and factories (which is round not jagged) can enter our bodies through breathing in and actually make its way into our brains! 

They have theorised that the PM gets in there via the Olfactory Bulb, which is a membrane between the top of our sinuses and the front of the brain. Scary stuff.

The Bits of PM Are In The Brain - Now What?

If magnetite was a harmless substance then the story would probably end here. But it isn't unfortunately. Magnetite is a toxic substance, and also is highly influenced by magnetic forces - two very good reasons to not want it making itself at home in your brain. Whilst it isn't going to make your head stick to the fridge door, it has been linked to the development of degenerative brain diseases including Alzheimer's. Hence the link that this research was able to make between traffic pollution and the disease, via inhaling the PM. In fact, I was told with great confidence that living within 40m of a busy road increases your chances of developing Alzheimer's by 17%!

It's Not All Bad Though

Clearly not everyone who does live by a road will get Alzheimer's or a similar disease, and this study is by no means suggesting that is the case. The aim of the study is that by recognising the link for the first time, regulations on traffic pollution will be tightened and incidences where it is occurring will be prevented in the future. The climate effects of increasing car ownership are already well-known, so hopefully the health effects will go some extra way to reducing their emissions further. There is still much work to be done on the subject, before we know all the deets completely. 

Hopefully this week's little insight has been interesting, as it is very new research that has been conducted for the very first time in the whole world! And it doesn't have to be all bad - now we can all get bicycles and have killer legs from riding around everywhere (silver linings people). If you would like to read about my tutor Barbara's research here is the link to the BBC article - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37276219. Cheers and have a good week!