The lungs’ immune defenses can wane with age, leaving older adults more susceptible to lung damage and severe bouts of respiratory infections. New research reveals one reason why this might happen: Inhaled particulate matter from pollution gunks up the works over time, weakening the lungs’ immune system, researchers report online November 21 in Nature Medicine.
Air pollution is a major cause of disease and early death worldwide and disproportionately impacts poor and marginalized communities (SN: 7/30/20). Particulate matter — a type of pollution emitted from vehicle exhaust, power plants, wildfires and other sources — has been tied to health harms including respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological diseases (SN: 9/19/17).
In
→ Continue reading at Science News