Dementia risk higher for those living near busy roads

Researchers mapped individuals' proximity to major roadways using postal code of their residence

People who live near high-traffic roadways may face a higher risk of developing dementia than those who live further away, warns a new study which suggests that air pollution from vehicles may be a factor in the development of the neurological disorder.

Researchers, including those from Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Canada, found that people who lived within 50 metres of high-traffic roads had a seven per cent higher likelihood of developing dementia compared to those who lived more than 300 meters away from busy roads.

They examined records of more than 6.5 million Ontario residents aged 20-85 to investigate