Scripps Research Institute Feb 28 2025 Air pollution contributes to nearly 7 million premature deaths each year, and its effects go far beyond the lungs. Breathing in wildfire smoke or automobile-related city smog doesn't just increase the risk of asthma and heart disease-it may also contribute to brain diseases as diverse as Alzheimer's and autism. Scientists at Scripps Research have discovered how a chemical change in the brain-which can be triggered by inflammation and aging as well as