ALZHEIMER EUROPE
ADAIR: Examining the link between air pollution and dementia Using the most advanced research methods, models and cohort studies, the ADAIR project hopes to unravel the link between air pollution exposure, brain health and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with the end goal of finding ways to identify at-risk individuals and to prevent the disease. Alzheimer Europe spoke to project coordinator Katja Kanninen to learn more.
What are the concrete objectives and actions that will be undertaken by the project? Despite some progress in the field, many questions remain unanswered as mechanistic information on air pollutant effects in brain is scarce. Importantly, biomarkers for air pollution and AD risk prediction do not currently exist, thus hindering the identification and stratification of individuals at risk for harmful air pollution effects. Researchers involved in the highly innovative ADAIR project will use the most advanced research methods, models and cohort studies to unravel the link between air pollution exposure, brain health and AD.
The ultimate goal of the project is to develop strategies for early identification of people at risk of developing AD, and to discover new approaches for disease prevention. For this According to Katja Kanninen, Alzheimer’s dis- (PM). Yet, epidemiological studies and con- purpose, ADAIR uses three clinical, populaease (AD) is a devastating disorder without a trolled animal studies show that exposure to tion cohorts: 1) Betula Study in Sweden, 2) cure, but remarkably little attention is paid air pollutants also impairs the brain. Recent Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands, and to the involvement of environmental factors epidemiological research demonstrates a 3) the Pearl River Delta study in China for in AD research. link between cognitive dysfunction/AD and in-depth investigation of pollutant effects exposure to high levels of air pollution in in healthy individuals as well as those diagAir pollution, a massive public health issue, is humans. Inhalation exposure to diesel engine nosed with AD. In addition to using these an important, ever-increasing global concern. exhaust or PM has been shown to aggravate three large population-based cohorts, ADAIR Every year, about 7 million premature deaths AD-like pathology in mice. However, detailed utilises highly translational human-based in from cardiovascular and respiratory condi- understanding of the connection between air vitro research models for biomarker discovtions occur as a direct result of exposure to pollution and AD does not exist. ery and functional studies. The clinical and air pollutants, especially to particulate matter in vitro data will be combined using emerging new technologies including integration of omics in a systems biology platform, for the identification of novel biomarkers for air pollutant effects and risk prediction. This will allow us for the first time to identify altered molecular and functional interactions, and key pathways associated with air pollutant effects and AD for better understanding of this complex disease. What are some of the main challenges you are facing with this research?
ADAIR consortium at kick-off meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, 16 January 2020
One of the main challenges in this research is deciphering which exact type of air pollution exposure is harmful for brain health. The duration and level of exposure are likely to be critical in determining the consequences on health. In addition, deciphering how genetically determined predisposing factors may play a role in the risk of health impairment is another complex challenge that requires intensive investigation. Dementia in Europe  13
