Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook, NY – A study led by researchers at Stony Brook Medicine has revealed a potential link between the duration of exposure to the World Trade Center (WTC) site and the presence of amyloid in the brains of responders. This finding comes nearly 25 years after the attacks, as many responders continue to face long-term health effects.

The research, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, focused on brain imaging of 35 WTC responders with an average age of 56. The study highlighted that "duration of WTC exposures had a direct link to amyloid in the brain, specifically in the olfactory cortex," according to Sean Clouston, PhD, lead author and professor at Stony Brook University.

Clouston noted that those who spent extended periods at Ground Zero without masks showed significant evidence of amyloid deposits in their brains. Benjamin Luft, MD, co-author and director of the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program, emphasized that "the presence of amyloid was associated with cognitive impairment" among nearly half of the subjects tested.

The research utilized positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans over three years on volunteers monitored by the Stony Brook WTC Program. The findings suggest that inhaled exposures to pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dioxins contributed to increased amyloidosis among non-masked responders.

The authors express concern about "aging-related amyloidosis at younger ages" due to air pollution exposure. They suggest that reducing workplace exposures could potentially lessen dementia's long-term impact on this population.

Although cerebral amyloidosis is linked with Alzheimer's disease, Clouston clarifies it may not directly cause Alzheimer's in this group. Further research with larger cohorts is planned to explore these associations more deeply.

Funding for this study came from several sources including grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and National Institute on Aging.