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Association of Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure with Dementia-Related Neuropathologies at Autopsy in a Community-Based Cohort
Jenson TE, Andrews RM, Adar SD, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Burnham D, Cursio J, Gassett A et al.. medRxiv, 2026-02-05
Topic: Air pollution and environmental exposures
Results Exposure to PM 2.5 and NO 2 , as measured using Chicago-specific models, were both associated with higher tau tangle density [mean difference per 2.5 µg/m 3 PM 2.5 = 0.25 tangles/mm 2 , (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.05 to 0.56); mean difference per 5 ppb NO 2 = 0.10 tangles/mm 2 , (95% CI -0.07 to 0.28)]. PM 2.5 exposure was associated with higher prevalence of arteriolosclerosis [prevalence ratio (PR) per 2.5 µg/m 3 = 1.51 (95% CI, 1.02 to 2.24)]. Both PM 2.5 and NO x exposure were associated with higher prevalence of cerebral atherosclerosis [PR per 2.5 µg/m 3 PM 2.5 = 1.41 (95% CI, 0.93 to 2.13); PR per 5 ppb NO x = 1.10 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.23)]. None of the exposures was clearly adversely associated with the other neuropathologic outcomes, including β-amyloid density and ADNC. Conclusion and Relevance Higher exposure to PM 2.5 was associated with cerebral arteriolosclerosis and atherosclerosis at death, consistent with the known vascular toxicity of this pollutant.
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APA 7th
Jenson, T. E., Andrews, R. M., Adar, S. D., Barnes, L. L., Bennett, D. A., Burnham, D., et al. (2026). Association of Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure with Dementia-Related Neuropathologies at Autopsy in a Community-Based Cohort. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.03.26345515
Vancouver
Jenson TE, Andrews RM, Adar SD, Barnes LL, Bennett DA, Burnham D, et al. Association of Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure with Dementia-Related Neuropathologies at Autopsy in a Community-Based Cohort. medRxiv. 2026. doi:10.64898/2026.02.03.26345515.
BibTeX
@article{jenson2026-bc3b724e,
author = {Jenson, T. E. and Andrews, R. M. and Adar, S. D. and Barnes, L. L. and Bennett, D. A. and Burnham, D. and Cursio, J. and Gassett, A. and others},
title = {{Association of Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure with Dementia-Related Neuropathologies at Autopsy in a Community-Based Cohort}},
journal = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.64898/2026.02.03.26345515},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.03.26345515}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results Exposure to PM 2.5 and NO 2 , as measured using Chicago-specific models, were both associated with higher tau tangle density [mean difference per 2.5 µg/m 3 PM 2.5 = 0.25 tangles/mm 2 , (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.05 to 0.56); mean difference per 5 ppb NO 2 = 0.10 tangles/mm 2 , (95% CI -0.07 to 0.28)].
- PM 2.5 exposure was associated with higher prevalence of arteriolosclerosis [prevalence ratio (PR) per 2.5 µg/m 3 = 1.51 (95% CI, 1.02 to 2.24)].
- Both PM 2.5 and NO x exposure were associated with higher prevalence of cerebral atherosclerosis [PR per 2.5 µg/m 3 PM 2.5 = 1.41 (95% CI, 0.93 to 2.13); PR per 5 ppb NO x = 1.10 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.23)].
- None of the exposures was clearly adversely associated with the other neuropathologic outcomes, including β-amyloid density and ADNC.
- Conclusion and Relevance Higher exposure to PM 2.5 was associated with cerebral arteriolosclerosis and atherosclerosis at death, consistent with the known vascular toxicity of this pollutant.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants909
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 44 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for effect reported and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on 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 multicenter collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 27 of the 62 points we could judge it on, which is 44 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (medRxiv) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 909 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization 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 |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 27 / 62 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 27 of the 62 points we could judge it on is 44 out of 100. |
| Total | 44 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
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