Associations between air pollution exposure and empirically derived subtypes of mild cognitive impairment in older women

Background Exposure to air pollution in older adulthood is a novel risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is a heterogenous construct with different subtypes likely reflecting different disease etiologies. Understanding if long‐term exposure to air pollution is differentially associated with MCI subtypes may provide insight into the neurotoxic effects of air pollution exposure on the aging brain. Method Participants included women from the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study. Data from 651 women without dementia who screened positive for cognitive impairment on the modified mini‐mental state examination (3MS) and a randomly selected comparison sample of 2,560 women who were cognitively intact based on the 3MS were utilized. Participants were administered the 3MS annually (1996‐2008). Those who screened positive for cognitive impairment on the 3MS completed the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) cognitive battery and the Trailmaking Test parts A and B. Average annual levels of particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter