Firstly, let’s see how PM 2.5 damages our brain?
· Besides affecting the respiratory tract, the tiny dust PM 2.5 can also seep into the bloodstream, creating danger to the body by lowering immunity, worsening oxygen delivery to various organs, leading to increased heart diseases, whether it’s acute myocardial infarction or arrhythmia.
· It triggers the process of producing “chronic inflammatory substances,” which can enter the brain.
· Moreover, the toxic PM 2.5 dust can enter the body through the olfactory nerve above the nasal cavity, directly reaching the brain, causing inflammation, leading to various brain diseases, and can be severe enough to cause paralysis or even death. The severity depends on the amount of dust received and the duration of exposure.
We have found that PM 2.5 is dangerous to our brains, both in children and adults.
In children exposed to high levels of PM 2.5, it impacts their Intelligence Quotient (IQ), resulting in lower IQ, about 70% increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and slower development compared to normal children.
In adults’ brains, it has been found that PM 2.5 increases impacts on the brain or various brain diseases significantly, such as:
1. Less white matter in the brain: Studies have shown that people living in areas with higher levels of PM 2.5 have less white matter compared to those living in areas with lower PM 2.5 levels.
The white matter of our brain consists of numerous nerve fibers. Reduced brain matter is found in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and corpus callosum, which is the group of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres.
2. Dementia or “Alzheimer’s” increases by up to 3 times.
3. Strokes, both ischemic and hemorrhagic, increase by approximately 15%, with every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 levels boosting the risk of stroke by about 13%.
4. Parkinson’s disease or abnormal movement disorders in the elderly show an increased risk of approximately 30%.
5. Migraine attacks become more severe, with those suffering from migraines experiencing more intense headaches.
With best wishes from
Neurology Center | Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai
Tel. 052 089 888 or 1719
