Simulated Burn Pit Smoke Exposures Increase Inflammation in the Brain
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Military personnel are thrice as likely than the general population to develop neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and dementia. They are exposed to smoke generated from organic and human made material in burn pits which contains potential carcinogens and toxicants that cause lung and cardiovascular diseases as well as generalized inflammation. Despite the higher incidences of neurodegenerative disorders documented for this demographic, it is not clear how exposure to these toxicants affects the brain. In this study we examine how localized inflammatory effects of simulated burn pit smoke (emitted from burning of plastic, paper, and wood type materials) affect the brain, specifically the choroid plexus. We found that short-term exposures to these smoke emissions are sufficient to elicit changes in inflammation-specific markers in the choroid plexus which were fuel type-dependent.