Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35189101›Full record

SynthesisEnvironmental research2022

Does protracted radon exposure play a role in the development of dementia?

Yijia Zhang, Liping Lu, Cheng Chen, R William Field, Mary D'Alton, Ka Kahe

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Environmental research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Assessing historical residential radon exposure using a glass-based surface trap method in low radon level areas: a pilot study.Journal of radiological protection : official journal of the Society for Radiological Protection · 2026
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  7. Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Yijia ZhangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
Liping LuDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
Cheng ChenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
R William FieldDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
Mary D'AltonDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
Ka KaheDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA. Electronic address: kk3399@columbia.edu.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center · USUniversity of Iowa · US

Funding

Residential Radon Exposure and Stroke Risk: the REGARDS StudyR01NS122449 · NINDS · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI KAHE, KA, SMITH, BRIAN JOSEPH · 2021 to 2025
$3.1M
Trace mineral levels, the trajectory of cognitive decline and telomere attritionRF1AG056111 · NIA · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · PI KAHE, KA · 2017 to 2017
$3.1M
NIA NIH HHS RF1 AG056111NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS122449
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Radon is a ubiquitous radioactive gas that decays into a series of solid radioactive decay products. Radon, and its decay products, enter the human body primarily through inhalation and can be delivered to various tissues including the brain through systemic circulation. It can also reach the brain by neuronal pathways via the olfactory system. While ionizing radiation has been suggested as a risk factor of dementia for decades, studies exploring the possible role of radon exposure in the development of Alzheimer's Diseases (AD) and other dementias are sparse. We systematically reviewed the literature and found several lines of evidence suggesting that radon decay products (RDPs) disproportionally deposit in the brain of AD patients with selective accumulation within the protein fractions. Ecologic study findings also indicate a significant positive correlation between geographic-level radon distribution and AD mortality in the US. Additionally, pathologic studies of radon shed light on the potential pathways of radon decay product induced proinflammation and oxidative stress that may result in the development of dementia. In summary, there are plausible underlying biological mechanisms linking radon exposure to the risk of dementia. Since randomized clinical trials on radon exposure are not feasible, well-designed individual-level epidemiologic studies are urgently needed to elucidate the possible association between radon (i.e., RDPs) exposure and the onset of dementia.

Indexed as

Air Pollutants, RadioactiveDementiaRadonHumansRadiation, IonizingRadon DaughtersAir Pollutants, RadioactiveRadonRadon DaughtersAlzheimer's diseaseCognitive declineCognitive impairmentDementiaRadonRDPs

Identifiers

PMID35189101
PMCPMC9081166
OpenAlexW4212938668

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.