Of course, no one denies the enormous benefits that scientific and technological progress brings us. But it also gives rise to factors that cause Alzheimer’s disease.
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Looking at the night illumination, beautifully illuminated cities, we admire: how cool! A streetlight facing directly into the bedroom window is much less pleasant. However, as scientists have discovered, it’s not just about discomfort. “Light pollution,” or the artificial lighting of populated areas at night, can cause a serious blow to people’s brains. With very sad consequences: a serious increase in the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
This conclusion was reached by researchers from Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, USA). They assigned each American state a certain “light pollution” score. We also received data on the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease. At the same time, for the sake of objectivity, other factors that could influence the incidence (age, social status, concomitant diseases, etc.) were taken into account. The result of the analysis showed that in regions where night lighting is more intense, the number of Alzheimer’s patients is significantly higher.
How can this effect be explained? How big is the threat to all of us if, according to experts, up to 90% of modern people live in conditions of “light pollution”? KP’s questions were answered by the director of the Brain Institute of the Scientific Center of Neurology, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and doctor of medical sciences Sergei Illarioshkin.
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“A new study has shown that outdoor advertising that hits the window because the curtains are not closed or the light is on inside (energy-saving light bulbs, night lights, light from electronic devices) – all this is, in fact, a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” says academic Illarioshkin.
Furthermore, for people under 65 years of age, the role of “light pollution” in increasing the threat of Alzheimer’s turned out to be even more serious than long-known and confirmed risk factors. Such as alcohol abuse, depression, obesity, diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease. “For patients who, up to the age of 65, allowed themselves to sleep with the light on and, therefore, experienced “light pollution” during the night, this factor turned out to be one of the main ones,” the expert emphasizes.
– Sergey Nikolaevich, why is this happening?
– Obviously, we are faced with another manifestation of the negative impact of civilization on people’s health. Of course, no one denies the enormous benefits that scientific and technological progress brings us. But it also gives rise to factors that cause Alzheimer’s disease. It has been proven that lack of physical activity, excess weight and high levels of glucose and cholesterol in the blood contribute very importantly to its development. And also some types of air pollution that did not exist before. And now there is a new scourge on the list: “light pollution.”
How exactly does this affect the body? First, nighttime lighting disrupts the normal sleep-wake cycle. This is a very bad factor. It puts us under stress. It also violates the normal adaptation mechanism to stress that inevitably overtakes a person during the day. For compensation and recovery of strength to occur, it is necessary to sleep well. It is only possible in the dark. Research shows that sleep patterns change in the presence of light sources. Over time, this causes alterations in various brain processes, including hindering the renewal of nerve cells and contributing to the maintenance of chronic neuroinflammation.
In addition, night lighting can disrupt the functioning of the so-called lymphatic system, continues academician Illarioshkin.
– In short, it is a special system to cleanse our brain of harmful substances that are formed during the life of cells. It is known that it is in the dark, at night, when the most intense elimination of beta-amyloid and tau protein from the brain occurs, the excess of which is associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Light pollution,” or the artificial lighting of populated areas at night, can cause serious damage to people’s brains.
Photo: Shutterstock.
“Light pollution” can cause alterations in the lymphatic system, which is linked to the normal circadian rhythm. And this is another mechanism that increases the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s, explains the expert.
– Probably other reasons can be found. But what is listed is already enough to add one more point to the measures to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. We can safely advise all people, and especially those under 65 years of age, to exclude any lighting during sleep.
From the editor: Sleep specialists recommend special curtains that block out light as much as possible (blackout), as well as high-quality sleep masks made from natural materials.
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Night lighting accelerates aging
“Light pollution” alters the production of the hormone melatonin, the head of the cellular pathology laboratory of the Russian Scientific Center for Surgery stated in one of the conferences. academic. Petrovsky David Areshidze. This hormone is responsible for regulating biorhythms, participates in maintaining immunity and protects against stress. It has also been found to slow down the rate of aging.
But the problem is that melatonin is normally only synthesized in the dark. And most of us suffer from excess lighting at night.
“Studies on experimental animals carried out at the Russian Scientific Center for Surgery have shown that due to melatonin deficiency due to “light pollution”, aging is accelerated and life expectancy is reduced by 15-17 %,” Areshidze said.
Russian scientists are conducting experiments to develop a therapy to replenish melatonin. Experts hope this will help improve the health and slow aging of modern people.
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