Doctors discover September 11 first responders are at risk of ANOTHER terminal health condition: dementia

The first responders who responded in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks have faced no shortage of hardships in the years since, dealing with a dramatic increase in heart attacks, strokes, cancer, PTSD and other mental health issues.

Now doctors are adding another devastating condition to that list: dementia.

In a new study, academics found that police officers, rescue crews, survivors and other first responders were nearly 40 times more likely to develop the memory-robbing disease under age 65 than the average American.

Researchers warned that the small, toxic dust inhaled that day may have entered their bloodstreams and caused inflammation that could lead to poor blood flow to the brain, causing dementia-like symptoms.

Dozens of first responders continue to succumb to cancers and respiratory diseases linked to their heroism on September 11. Now doctors are suggesting they are also at risk for dementia

The study, which was published in the Journal of the Network of the American Medical Association openedlooked at 5,000 9/11 responders under the age of 65 without pre-existing signs of dementia.

The researchers included anyone who spent at least 80 hours in or around Lower Manhattan between September 2001 and July 2002, excluding firefighters, who are being tracked by another research group.

In the five years the group was studied, 228 people were diagnosed with dementia – about five percent of the study group.

By comparison, less than one percent of the general population is diagnosed with dementia before the age of 65.

That means that first responders on September 11 were about 38 times more likely to develop dementia under the age of 65 than the average American.

This was a wider gap than expected, says Dr. Sean Clouston, an epidemiologist at Stony Brook University who led the study, told STAT.

“We expected one to two, maybe three at most, and so seeing a few hundred cases was a surprise,” Dr. Clouston said.

The study also found that people who were exposed to more particulate matter for longer were even more likely to develop dementia than people who consistently wore protective equipment.

Particulate matter consists of liquid droplets about 40 times smaller than the width of a human hair that hang in the air and are likely to be inhaled or eaten by humans.

It is released after a building collapse, a wildfire and even car exhaust.

Of the 89 respondents surveyed who had high exposure to particulate matter, 12 developed dementia. Of the 342 respondents with low exposure to certain materials, 3 developed dementia.

Because the researchers had to rely on participants’ memories of these events, it is difficult to monitor how many particles they were actually exposed to, the authors warned.

Regardless, the researchers wrote that their findings suggest that “the reliable use of personal protective equipment could help prevent the onset of dementia before age 65 in individuals exposed to an uncontrolled building collapse.”

This is not the first study that links exposure to particulate matter with dementia.

Air pollutants were linked to problems in the development of memory and thinking in a 2022 review of 70 studies by the Commission on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants in the UK.

Experts do not yet know how particulate matter can contribute to the risk of dementia.

It may be that these particles are so small that when people inhale them, they can travel through the incredibly small openings in the membrane that protects the brain. Once inside, the chemicals can damage cells in the brain through inflammation.

It could also be that these particles block blood flow, which can gradually starve the brain of blood and oxygen, leading to dementia, the researchers said. Alzheimer’s Association.

The new study included civilian first responders and people who worked near Ground Zero in the year after the attacks

This has also been linked to a number of other health problems faced by this group of people.

Lung damage from working at ground zero leads many to develop asthma and sleep apnea, according to the CDC. Many have also developed cancer, especially of the thyroid, prostate, skin and blood.

In addition, many first responders have had to deal with injuries from the day itself – whether back pain, burns or broken bones.

All these circumstances have led to an increasing number of deaths in the years since the attacks.

In 2023, a tragic record was set when the number of first responders who had died from 9/11-related illnesses equaled the number of firefighters killed in the first attack.

This study highlights the importance of preparing first responders in disaster areas with adequate equipment, Roberto Lucchini, professor of occupational and environmental health sciences at Florida International University (WHO) not involved in the study, told STAT.

Preparing first responders to use the proper equipment can be critical to preventing them from developing debilitating diseases down the road.

This applies to much more than just terrorist attacks, he said: “We have situations where we are exposed to these kinds of toxic substances and all these hazards in a variety of situations, including natural disasters… or destruction of buildings – collapses, demolitions or earthquakes.”