Wildfire smoke may raise the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease

Wildfire smoke may do more than irritate the lungs. Researchers at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix say its particles can trigger harmful inflammation in the brain and may contribute to diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

The study, published in Neurotoxicology, examined how smoke particles affect astrocytes. These specialized brain cells normally protect and support other brain cells, but exposure to wildfire smoke can make them excessively active. They then release inflammatory molecules that may damage nearby neurons.

Neurons carry the signals needed for movement, memory and thinking. The researchers focused on STING, a protein that acts as one of the body’s natural alarm systems, after identifying a specific immune pathway involved in the inflammatory response.

“We wanted to understand what causes the increased risk,” study researcher Adam Schuller said, referring to earlier research linking wildfire smoke exposure with cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease.

The research comes amid wildfires in countries including the United States and Indonesia. More than 44,000 fires have burned over 4.8 million acres in the United States this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Indonesia recorded about 202,010.96 hectares of forest and land burned between January and August 2026, according to government data.

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We wanted to understand what causes the increased risk.