Air particulate pollution exposure associated with impaired cognition via microbiota gut-brain axis: an evidence from rural elderly female in northwest China

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 6398 - 6410
• Main Authors: Yuan, Jia, Tan, Hui, Cheng, Yue, Ma, Xinxin, Jiang, Sijin, Hou, Xinyao, Li, Shaoru, Shi, Lu, Li, Pu, Xu, Hongmei, Lv, Jia, Han, Bei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.01.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Air Pollution - analysis; Air pollution measurements; Air quality; Air quality measurements; Akkermansia; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Brain; Brain-Gut Axis; China; Cognition; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Dysfunction - epidemiology; Correlation analysis; Dementia disorders; Dust - analysis; Dysbacteriosis; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Health; Escherichia; Exposure; Faecalibacterium; Feces; Female; Females; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Impairment; Indoor air pollution; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; Inflammation; Intestinal microflora; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Nitrogen dioxide; Nitrogen Dioxide - analysis; Older people; Outdoor air quality; Oxidative stress; Particulate matter; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate pollution; Relative abundance; Research Article; Shigella; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; China; Gut microbiota; Female; Particulate matter pollution; Gut-brain axis; Elderly residents; Cognitive impairment
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31504-6

This study aimed to reveal harm of exposure to indoor air pollution to cognitive function through “gut-brain-axis” among rural elderly residents. There were 120 participants recruited in rural villages of northwest China from December 2021 to February 2022. The cognitive level was assessed by eight-item ascertain dementia (AD) questionnaire, and indoor air pollution exposure was measured by air quality sensor. Inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress-related index were detected in blood serum. Fecal samples were collected for gut microbiota analysis. The 120 participants were divided into impaired cognition (AD8) (81/67.5%) and cognition normal (NG) (39/32.5%). And there had more female in AD8 (FAD) (55/67.9%) than NG (FNG) (18/46.2%) ( P = 0.003). Exposure of air pollution in FAD was higher than FNG (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , P < 0.001; NO 2 , P < 0.001; CO, P = 0.014; O 3 , P = 0.002). The risk of cognitive impairment increases 6.8%, 3.6%, 2.6%, 11%, and 2.4% in female for every 1 μg/m 3 increased in exposure of PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and O 3 , separately. And GSH-Px and T-SOD in FAD were significantly lower than the FNG group ( P = 0.011, P = 0.019). Gut microbiota in FAD is disordered with lower richness and diversity. Relative abundance of core bacteria Faecalibacterium (top 1 genus) in FAD was reduced (13.65% vs 19.81%, P = 0.0235), while Escherichia_Shigella and Akkermansia was increased. Correlation analysis showed Faecalibacterium was negatively correlated with age, and exposure of O 3 , PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 ; Akkermansia and Monoglobus were positively correlated with exposure of PM 1 , PM 2.5 and PM 10 ; Escherichia_Shigella was significantly positively correlated with NO 2 . Indoor air pollution exposure impaired cognitive function in elderly people, especially female, which may cause systemic inflammation, dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, and ultimately leading to early cognitive impairment through the gut-brain axis. Graphical Abstract