How does wildfire smoke affect your brain today and down the road?
Medical experts are warning that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke can travel beyond the lungs to the brain, potentially causing inflammation and long-term cognitive decline. Studies suggest that prolonged exposure to polluted air is linked to memory issues and an increased risk of dementia.
Why it matters
As wildfire seasons become more severe, understanding the neurological health risks of smoke exposure is critical for public health policy.
TORONTO — The perils of wildfire smoke don’t stop at the lungs or the heart. They can also affect the brain.
Recent research shows tiny particles from wildfire smoke — known as PM2.5, fine particulate matter — are so small they can travel deep into the lungs.
But they don’t always end their journey there.
Some slip into the bloodstream, or get to the brain directly through the nose, says Dr. Bhavini Gohel of the University of Calgary’s O’Brien Institute for Public Health.
When toxins reach the brain, they can cause inflammation, resulting in fogginess, lack of focus and headache, she says.
Increasing exposure to these harmful particles can also cause long-term damage to brain cells leading to cognitive decline.
Health concerns over dangerously polluted air come after drifting wildfire smoke from northern Ontario turned skies hazy in southern parts of the province.
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