Assessing traffic-related air pollution-induced fiber-specific white matter degradation associated with motor performance declines in aged rats.

Fine particulate matter (PM) is thought to exacerbate Parkinson's disease (PD) in the elderly, and early detection of PD progression may prevent further irreversible damage. Therefore, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for probing microstructural changes after late-life chronic traffic-related PM exposure. Herein, 1.5-year-old Fischer 344 rats were exposed to clean air (control), high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-filtered ambient air (HEPA group), and ambient traffic-related PM (PM group, 9.933 ± 1.021 µg/m) for 3 months. Rotarod test, DTI tractographic analysis, and immunohistochemistry were performed in the end of study period. Aged rats exposed to PM exhibited motor impairment with decreased fractional anisotropy and tyrosine hydroxylase expression in olfactory and nigrostriatal circuits, indicating disrupted white matter integrity and dopaminergic (DA) neuronal loss. Additionally, increased radial diffusivity and lower expression of myelin basic protein in PM group suggested ageing progression of demyelination exacerbated by PM exposure. Significant production of tumor necrosis factor-α was also observed after PM exposure, revealing potential inflammation of injury to multiple fiber tracts of DA pathways. Microstructural changes demonstrated potential links between PM-induced inflammatory white matter demyelination and behavioral performance, with indication of pre-manifestation of DTI-based biomarkers for early detection of PD progression in the elderly.