Title | The Association of Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter Air Pollution with Brain MRI Findings: The ARIC Study. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2018 |
Authors | Power MC, Lamichhane AP, Liao D, Xu X, Jack CR, Gottesman RF, Mosley T, Stewart JD, Yanosky JD |
Secondary Authors | Whitsel EA |
Journal | Environ Health Perspect |
Volume | 126 |
Issue | 2 |
Pagination | 027009 |
Date Published | 2018 02 16 |
ISSN | 1552-9924 |
Keywords | Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Air Pollutants, Air Pollution, Brain, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Environmental Exposure, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Particulate Matter, Time Factors, United States |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence links higher particulate matter (PM) air pollution exposure to late-life cognitive impairment. However, few studies have considered associations between direct estimates of long-term past exposures and brain MRI findings indicative of neurodegeneration or cerebrovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to quantify the association between brain MRI findings and PM exposures approximately 5 to 20 y prior to MRI in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. METHODS: ARIC is based in four U.S. sites: Washington County, Maryland; Minneapolis suburbs, Minnesota; Forsyth County, North Carolina; and Jackson, Mississippi. A subset of ARIC participants underwent 3T brain MRI in 2011-2013 (n=1,753). We estimated mean exposures to PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 or 2.5μm (PM and PM) in 1990-1998, 1999-2007, and 1990-2007 at the residential addresses of eligible participants with MRI data. We estimated site-specific associations between PM and brain MRI findings and used random-effect, inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis to combine them. RESULTS: In pooled analyses, higher mean PM and PM exposure in all time periods were associated with smaller deep-gray brain volumes, but not other MRI markers. Higher PM exposures were consistently associated with smaller total and regional brain volumes in Minnesota, but not elsewhere. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term past PM exposure in was not associated with markers of cerebrovascular disease. Higher long-term past PM exposures were associated with smaller deep-gray volumes overall, and higher PM exposures were associated with smaller brain volumes in the Minnesota site. Further work is needed to understand the sources of heterogeneity across sites. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP2152. |
DOI | 10.1289/EHP2152 |
Alternate Journal | Environ Health Perspect |
PubMed ID | 29467108 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC6066342 |
Grant List | HHSN268201100012C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100009I / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100010C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100008C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100007C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100011I / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100011C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States U01 HL096902 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100006C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100005I / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States U01 HL096814 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States K24 AG052573 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States P2C HD050924 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States U01 HL096812 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States P30 ES010126 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100005G / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States U01 HL096917 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100008I / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100009C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States R01 HL070825 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100005C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States U01 HL096899 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States HHSN268201100007I / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States |