CMC'S
NEWS' REVIEW (VI), by Marina Dorca
News'
title: Nano air pollutants strike a blow to the
brain .
Scientists
track super-small pollutants that are inhaled into the brain.
Date
of publication:
December the 17th, 2014.
Source
of information: Student Society for Science:
Scientific
field: Environmental
biology
Extract:
This
article exposes the recent findings made by different scientists in
the world in reference to the pollution and its relation to brain
health.
This
kind of pollution is found in large cities were there are mountains
nearby which prevent the wind from clearing the air like for example
Los Angeles or Mexico.
The
air in these cities contains nanoair pollutants which slip right
through the cells. The damage caused is very diverse; the affectation
of DNA, the hardening of blood vessels, local inflammation,... But
the effects who worry scientists the most are the ones which can harm
the brain. Research has shown that this pollution can affect the
nerve's chemical messages, and the part of the brain related to
learning and remembering.
 |
| Air pollution in Mexico City. |
 |
| Pollutant nanoparticles |
Critical
appraisal: The
balancing entry of pollution.
Nowadays
scientists discover more and more negative effects of pollution on
health, as can be seen in this article. Affectations on IQ, reduction
of the smell ability, hardening of blood vessels,... and an endless
list of other affectations.
But,
despite being aware of this reality, very little is being done to
change this situation. Consumerism, car emissions of CO2
and factory gases between other factors are making the world even
more contaminated. And amid this actuality we're being both the
victims and the killers of this society. We could really do something
to change today's world but sometimes it's easier for us to just to
continue with our lifestyles without caring about the consequences it
entails.
First
of all, I completely disagree with the fact that lots of people set
before his personal interests to the common ones. For example, we
could reduce enormously the car emissions of CO2 if we
took the public transport whenever it's possible. But the thing is
that people tend to look for its benefit and they prefer the comfort
of the car although it's more polluting.
Secondly,
there's the fact of industrialization, which has caused extremely
large cities with lots of inhabitants. I think that globalization and
urban lifestyle has promoted attitudes and habits which are no good
for our environment, and moreover, for our health. The phenomenon of
consumerism, for example, makes the companies produce even more and
therefore pollute more. All the polluting gases from such industries
or cars concentrates on cities and, in turn, air quality decreases.
Breathing this air all day for years leads to severe health problems.
However,
there's still people that don't care about pollution effects and that
are disrespectful with environment. I guess that's because they're
not able to see the consequences of their acts long-term.
So,
in balance, I believe that although sometimes it's easier for us to
do some things in a non-ecological way, we should think twice and
consider the health effects our actions could cause, because our
health is one of the most important things we have and we must take
care of it.
Glossary:
Acute
An conditions, such as an illness (or its symptoms, including pain),
that is typically short in duration but severe.
Alzheimer’s
disease An
incurable brain disease that can cause confusion, mood changes and
problems with memory, language, behaviour
and problem solving. No cause or cure is known.Antioxidant Any of many chemicals that can shut down oxidation — a biologically damaging reaction. They do this by donating an electron to a free radical (a reactive molecular fragment) without becoming unstable. Many plant-based foods are good sources of natural antioxidants, including vitamins C and E.
Autopsy Examination of body tissues after a person dies, typically performed to determine the cause of death.
Blood-brain barrier A barrier of tightly packed cells that carefully regulate what molecules can — and can’t — enter the brain. The barrier protects the brain from foreign substances in the blood and helps to maintain a constant environment for brain cells.
Immunity The ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or poison by producing and releasing special protective cells.
Inflammation The body’s response to cellular injury; often involves swelling, redness, heat and pain.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) An imaging technique to visualize soft, internal organs, like the brain, muscles, heart and cancerous tumors. MRI uses strong magnetic fields to record the activity of individual atoms.
Mitral cells Cells located in the olfactory bulb (a region of the brain) that relay information about smell to various regions of the brain.
Nanoparticle A small particle measured in the billionths of a meter.
Pathology The study of diseases and/or conditions that lead to death. People who work in this field are called pathologists. They look at what causes a disease, how symptoms develop and may examine all stages of an illness.
respiratory tract Parts of the body involved in breathing (also called the respiratory system). It includes the lungs, nose, sinuses, throat and other large airways.
Stroke (in biology and medicine) A condition where blood stops flowing to part of the brain or leaks in the brain.
Video:
Here's a very interesting video which will help you to understand how pollution affects our brain.
