Neutrons help to explain the relationship between air pollution and brain health through an interdisciplinary Harwell-based collaboration.
03 Feb 2026 - Rosie de Laune
Scientists from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have used facilities at ISIS and the Central Laser Facility to investigate the impact of air pollution on public health. The study focused on understanding how particulate matter interacts with the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) at the cellular and molecular level.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is associated with around seven million deaths every year. Epidemiological studies have shown links between long-term exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. And, more recently, evidence has suggested a link between air pollution and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Inhaled pollutant particles could have negative effects on the brain, by entering it directly through the blood circulatory system. There is still a critical knowledge gap that persists regarding the specific interactions between different pollutants and the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) at the molecular level.
In this study, published in Science of The Total Environment, the researchers looked at how pollutant particles interact with the BBB, which is the critical barrier between the blood and central nervous system. The BBB protects the brain from toxins in the blood, but this study shows that it may not be successful at protecting from air pollution particles.
The team employed an interdisciplinary approach, utilising environmentally relevant particulate matter samples and integrating cellular models of cerebral microvascular endotheliocytes with advanced light and electron microscopy at the CLF, as well as neutron spectrometry at ISIS, with a particular focus on the plasma membrane.
Working with Sangamitra Mukhopadhyay to use Quasi-Elastic Neutron Spectroscopy (QENS) on Osiris beamline at ISIS, they looked at how the particulate matter samples influence plasma membrane dynamics. Thanks to its sensitivity and precision, QENS provides a unique insight into the membrane dynamics, and their experiments showed that the pollutants did have an impact. The QENS-derived parameters such as jump length and relaxation time offer quantitative information on the molecular mobility and local viscosity, which are key determinants of BBB function.
This research bridges a critical gap between observational studies and fundamental neuroscience, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the neuropathological consequences of air pollution.
Study authors
“By determining the molecular interactions between the pollutants and the BBB, this research bridges a critical gap between observational studies and fundamental neuroscience, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the neuropathological consequences of air pollution,” say the authors.
With the increasing incidence of debilitating neurological diseases like dementia, research in this area to understand how our environment contribute to their onset will be vital to the development of future treatments.
This study demonstrates how neutron scattering and interdisciplinary collaboration can be used for the direct benefit of improving public health.
Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969726000057
