Environmental genesis of Alzheimer’s disease: A proposed role of air pollution and insecticides in AD pathogenesis

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebral deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. However, these neuropathological changes are final symptoms and the earliest manifestation of pathological changes is an increase in the level of cellular oxidation caused by free radicals. As our environment is abundant in factors promoting this process, the paper presents the facts concerning the relations between air (i.e. smog and pesticides) and soil pollution (i.e. pesticides) and AD prevalence.