DEMENTIA RISK HIGHER FOR PEOPLE LIVING NEAR MAIN ROADS

LONDON— People living near major roads have a higher chance of developing dementia, according to a largescale study published in British medical journal The Lancet on Thursday.

The research looked at 6 million adults living in Ontario, Canada, between 2001 and 2012, and found that those living less than 50 meters from a busy road had a 7 percent higher incidence of dementia.

The risk was 4 percent above normal for those living 50 to 100 meters from main roads and 2 percent higher among those 100 to 200 meters away.

There was no discernable elevated risk among people living more than 200 meters from a major route.

The study, led by Hong Chen from Public Health Ontario, found that long-term exposure to two common pollutants—nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulates—were associated with dementia but did not account for the full effect.

This suggested that other factors—such as noise or other pollutants—may play a contributing role.

According to the World Health Organization, 47.5 million people worldwide have dementia—a syndrome marked by deterioration in memory, thinking, behavior and the ability to perform everyday activities.

Some 7.7 million new cases of dementia are reported every year, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common cause.—