Smoke from cigarettes, automobiles or even French fries which constitute a group of chemicals known as type 2- alkenes, can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, a recent research has indicated.

"The thought process and memory deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease appear to be due to the very early loss of function of nerve endings in the brain," said Richard M. LoPachin, a neurochemist and director of research in the Department of Anesthesiology at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

According to researchers, these toxic chemicals are also generated within the nerve endings during the course of the disease. Such internal production along with external exposure only strengthens the disease.

"This dual intoxication of nerve endings led us to conclude that daily environmental exposure to neurotoxic type-2 alkenes could increase the incidence of Alzheimer's disease," he added.

The research has been published in a Journal of Neurochemistry.