Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA.
Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Sep 10;25(18):9759. doi: 10.3390/ijms25189759.
Military burn pits, used for waste disposal in combat zones, involve the open-air burning of waste materials, including plastics, metals, chemicals, and medical waste. The pits release a complex mixture of occupational toxic substances, including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Air pollution significantly impacts brain health through mechanisms involving neuroinflammation. Pollutants penetrate the respiratory system, enter the bloodstream, and cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), triggering inflammatory responses in the central nervous system (CNS). Chronic environmental exposures result in sustained inflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal damage, contributing to neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive impairment. Veterans exposed to burn pit toxins are particularly at risk, reporting higher rates of respiratory issues, neurological conditions, cognitive impairments, and mental health disorders. Studies demonstrate that Veterans exposed to these toxins have higher rates of neuroinflammatory markers, accelerated cognitive decline, and increased risks of neurodegenerative diseases. This narrative review synthesizes the research linking airborne pollutants such as PM, VOCs, and heavy metals to neuroinflammatory processes and cognitive effects. There is a need for targeted interventions to mitigate the harmful and escalating effects of environmental air pollution exposures on the CNS, improving public health outcomes for vulnerable populations, especially for Veterans exposed to military burn pit toxins.
军事燃烧坑，用于战区的废物处理，涉及露天燃烧废物材料，包括塑料、金属、化学品和医疗废物。这些坑会释放出复杂的职业有毒物质混合物，包括颗粒物 (PM)、挥发性有机化合物 (VOCs)、重金属、二恶英和多环芳烃 (PAHs)。空气污染通过涉及神经炎症的机制对大脑健康产生重大影响。污染物穿透呼吸系统，进入血液，穿过血脑屏障 (BBB)，在中枢神经系统 (CNS) 引发炎症反应。慢性环境暴露导致持续的炎症、氧化应激和神经元损伤，导致神经退行性疾病和认知障碍。接触燃烧坑毒素的退伍军人面临特别高的风险，他们报告说呼吸问题、神经状况、认知障碍和心理健康障碍的发生率更高。研究表明，接触这些毒素的退伍军人神经炎症标志物水平更高，认知能力下降速度更快，患神经退行性疾病的风险也更高。本叙述性综述综合了研究结果，表明空气中的污染物，如 PM、VOCs 和重金属，与神经炎症过程和认知效应有关。需要采取有针对性的干预措施来减轻环境空气污染暴露对中枢神经系统的有害和不断升级的影响，改善弱势人群的公共卫生结果，特别是接触军事燃烧坑毒素的退伍军人。
