Taiwanese scientists have found a link between air pollution and dementia risk in elderly people, a Yang Ming Chiao Tung University research team told a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
Study coauthor Chuang Yi-fang (莊宜芳), associate professor of public health, said that the medical community has long understood that air pollution can be a significant risk factor in cognitive health.
However, the mechanism by which pollution affects the mind had remained largely unknown until the research team clarified the connection between air quality and improvements to focus and brain structure in elderly people, he said.
Photo courtesy of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
The study tracked the magnetic resonance imaging and cognitive test records of 412 people over the age of 60 residing in urban and rural areas with varying air quality to measure the effects of pollution, he said.
Spatial modeling was used to gauge the concentration of pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone in the subjects’ environment, he said.
The research established a strong correlation between good air and better structural integrity of white brain matter and improved scores in cognitive tests measuring mental focus, he said.
Genetics, healthy habits and environmental factors govern brain aging, but only the first of the trio is an immutable trait, he said, adding that reducing air pollution would likely result in better brain health in older people.
The study significantly contributes to the field by shedding light on air pollution’s effects on brain health in Asians instead of cardiovascular health in Caucasians, said Pan Wen-chi (潘文驥), coauthor and professor of environmental and occupational health at the university.
The study was published in August last year in the journal Environment International.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon Go Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area. Three PokeStops are to be set up in the park. Trainers are invited to take
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