Exposure to urban air pollution particulate matter: Neurobehavioral alteration and hippocampal inflammation: neurobehavioral alteration and hippocampal inflammation

Mojtaba Ehsanifar, Zeinab Yavari, Mehravar Rafati

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Air pollution is associated with many neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders in human populations. Rodent models show similar neurotoxic effects of urban air pollution ultrafine particulate matter (UFPs < 100 nm (PM0.1)), collected by different methods or from various sources. Exposure to ultrafine particulate matter (UFPs < 100 nm (PM0.1)) can be adversely impacting the central nervous system (CNS) by the activation of proinflammatory pathways and reactive oxygen species associated with air pollution particulate matter. We investigated hippocampal inflammatory cytokines, neurobehavioral alteration, and neuronal morphology following exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) in mice. Male mice were DEPs exposed for 14 weeks. Mice exposed to DEPs showed more disorders in spatial memory and learning and depressive-like responses than control mice. Expression of hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokine was increased among DEPs exposure mice. The density of neurons in hippocampus CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) regions decreased in DEPs mice. Overall, these findings show that prolonged exposure to DEPs in the world’s major cities can alter neurobehavioral and impair cognition.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)50856-50866
Number of pages11
JournalEnvironmental Science and Pollution Research
Volume29
Issue number33
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • Air pollution exposure
  • Hippocampal cytokine expression
  • Neurobehavioral alteration
  • Neuroinflammation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
  • Environmental Chemistry

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