How wildfires may lead to higher rates of dementia

As a record number of baby boomers turn 65, the percentage of Americans living with some form of mental decline– severe enough to interfere with daily living – is expected to rise. What exactly leads to dementia is still something of a mystery - but lifestyle and environmental factors are known to contribute to a person’s risk of cognitive decline. A study published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association Neurology identifies a new factor that may be impacting dementia risk: wildfire smoke. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Guest: Joan Casey is the lead author of the newly published study “Wildfire Smoke Exposure and Incident Dementia”, she’s also an associate professor of environmental & occupational health sciences at the University of Washington Relevant Links: Video: UW-led research links wildfire smoke exposure with increased dementia risk - UW News Wildfire Smoke Exposure and Incident Dementia - JAMA Neurology See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.