*New research suggests that excessive light pollution may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
A study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found a strong association between high levels of light pollution and Alzheimer’s prevalence across 48 U.S. states, even more so than other risk factors like alcohol abuse, depression, and obesity. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, associated with cognitive decline in regions of the brain involved in thought, memory, and language. While the study does not confirm that light pollution causes neurodegeneration, it emphasizes the need for further research.
“There are numerous factors that contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” Robin Voigt-Zuwala, an associate professor at Illinois’ Rush University Medical Center and lead author on this research, told Newsweek. “It is the constellation of these factors in totality that determine the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Voigt-Zuwala and his team examined light pollution levels across 48 U.S. states and their connection to Alzheimer’s disease, especially in younger individuals. According to the map, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York are among the states that experienced the highest levels of light pollution. View the full map HERE.
“I believe that light pollution impacts health generally, including cognitive health, via disruption of circadian rhythms,” Voigt-Zuwala said. “Our group has shown that disruption of circadian rhythms disrupts the intestinal microbiome and promotes inflammation, which can drive neurodegeneration. However, more research is needed to test this hypothesis.”
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Voigt-Zuwala added, “Certain genotypes, which influence early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, impact the response to biological stressors which could account for increased vulnerability to the effects of nighttime light exposure,” the researcher explained. “Additionally, younger people are more likely to live in urban areas and have lifestyles that may increase exposure to light at night.”
Voigt-Zuwala mentioned that there are several simple lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your exposure to nighttime light pollution.
“Inside the home, one could install dimmers (light switch or smart bulbs), use lightbulbs with warm tones (as opposed to LED bulbs which emit harsh blue light), use blue light filters on phones, tablets, and computers, or wear blue light blocking glasses when watching TV,” he explained.
“To mitigate light from outside the home, remove any unnecessary lights outside the home (or swap the type of lightbulb for a warmer variety), install black-out curtains in the bedroom and/or wear eye shades (this one is especially good if a person shares a bed with someone who watches TV or uses light-emitting devices,” Voigt-Zuwala added.
“Generally speaking, limit or avoid exposure to light in whatever ways work for a given individual,” he noted.
“If reducing exposure to light at night reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease then we should all implement strategies to do so!”
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