The　potential　harm　of　atmospheric　fine　particulate　matter　to　human　health　has　been　widely　concerned　around　the　world.　A　growing　number　of　studies　have　shown　that　PMs　exposure　can　cause　damage　to　respiratory　and　cardiovascular　systems.　However,　whether　PMs　can　enter　the　brain　and　produce　neurotoxicity　has　been　an　important　research　topic　in　the　field　of　neurotoxicity　and　public　health　hazards　in　recent　years.　In　this　paper,　we　review　the　existing　epidemiological　evidence　and　related　experimental　results　to　discuss　the　potential　pathways　and　mechanisms　of　neurotoxicological　effects　of　PMs　on　brain.　It　has　been　reported　that　atmospheric　PMs　can　affect　the　nervous　system　through　the　olfactory　nerve　pathway,　blood　circulation　and　other　pathways,　causing　oxidative　stress,　glial　cell　activation,　neuroinflammation,　synaptic　plasticity　changes　and　organelle　damage　and　other　neurotoxicity.　On　this　basis,　it　is　pointed　out　that　future　research　in　this　field　should　be　carried　out　by　multidisciplinary　experts　in　atmospheric　chemistry,　toxicology　and　epidemiology.　©　The　Authors,　published　by　EDP　Sciences.