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Airborne Magnetite- and Iron-Rich Pollution Nanoparticles: Potential Neurotoxicants and Environmental Risk Factors for Neurodegenerative Disease, Including Alzheimer's Disease
Maher BA.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2019-01-01
Topic: Air pollution and environmental exposures
Fewer than 5% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases are demonstrably directly inherited, indicating that environmental factors may be important in initiating and/or promoting the disease. Excess iron is toxic to cells; iron overload in the AD brain may aggressively accelerate AD. Magnetite nanoparticles, capable of catalyzing formation of reactive oxygen species, occur in AD plaques and tangles; they are thought to form in situ, from pathological iron dysfunction. A recent study has identified in frontal cortex samples the abundant presence of magnetite nanoparticles consistent with high-temperature formation; identifying therefore their external, not internal source. These magnetite particles range from ∼10 to 150 nm in size, and are often associated with other, non-endogenous metals (including platinum, cadmium, cerium). Some display rounded crystal morphologies and fused surface textures, reflecting cooling and crystallization from an initially heated, iron-bearing source material. Precisely-matching magnetite 'nanospheres' occur abundantly in roadside air pollution, arising from vehicle combustion and, especially, frictional brake-wear. Airborne magnetite pollution particles < ∼200 nm in size can access the brain directly via the olfactory and/or trigeminal nerves, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Given their toxicity, abundance in roadside air, and nanoscale dimensions, traffic-derived magnetite pollution nanoparticles may constitute a chronic and pernicious neurotoxicant, and hence an environmental risk factor for AD, for large population numbers globally. Olfactory nerve damage displays strong association with AD development. Reported links between AD and occupational magnetic fields (e.g., affecting welders, machinists) may instead reflect inhalation exposure to airborne magnetic nanoparticles.
Key findings
- These magnetite particles range from ∼10 to 150 nm in size, and are often associated with other, non-endogenous metals (including platinum, cadmium, cerium).
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 22 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31381513) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 22 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 22 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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APA 7th
Maher, B. A. (2019). Airborne Magnetite- and Iron-Rich Pollution Nanoparticles: Potential Neurotoxicants and Environmental Risk Factors for Neurodegenerative Disease, Including Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-190204
Vancouver
Maher BA. Airborne Magnetite- and Iron-Rich Pollution Nanoparticles: Potential Neurotoxicants and Environmental Risk Factors for Neurodegenerative Disease, Including Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2019. doi:10.3233/jad-190204. PMID: 31381513.
BibTeX
@article{maher2019-31381513,
author = {Maher, B. A.},
title = {{Airborne Magnetite- and Iron-Rich Pollution Nanoparticles: Potential Neurotoxicants and Environmental Risk Factors for Neurodegenerative Disease, Including Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.3233/jad-190204},
pmid = {31381513},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-190204}
}
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