Air pollution raises risk of dementia, say Cambridge scientists

Pollution levels on roads in UK cities were high enough to raise the risk of developing dementia. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian

Exposure to certain forms of air pollution is linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, according to the most comprehensive study of its kind.

The illness is estimated to affect about 57 million people worldwide, with the number expected to increase to at least 150m cases by 2050.