Air pollution is a frightening threat to public health, particularly for those living in heavily polluted areas known for smog, making it practically impossible to avoid its harms.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK have discovered a new serious impact of smog. Their study concluded that exposure to air pollution during childhood is associated with more severe cognitive decline in old age. For some individuals, this damage may not be evident for up to 60 years. To reach these conclusions, the researchers tested the thinking and intelligence skills of over 500 adults, all approximately 70 years old. The team administered the same test that participants had completed decades earlier when they were 11 years old, and the elderly participants took the test again on two other occasions, at ages 76 and 79.
Additionally, the authors examined public records to determine smog levels in the areas where each study participant grew up. Using all this data, the Scottish team created a series of statistical models to identify the relationship between childhood exposure to air pollution and cognitive skills in older adults. To ensure a comprehensive investigation, the researchers considered all other potentially influencing factors such as smoking habits and each person's socioeconomic status.
The initial step toward understanding the harmful effects of air pollution on the brain: The results indicate that exposure to smog during childhood has a negligible effect, but it becomes noticeable based on cognitive changes between the ages of 11 and 70. Dr. Tom Ross, Director of the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Research Center in Scotland, stated, "For the first time, we have shown the effect of early life air pollution exposure on the brain decades later. This is the first step toward understanding the harmful effects of air pollution on the brain and may help reduce the risk of dementia for future generations." According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 50 million people suffering from dementia worldwide, with about 10 million new cases reported annually.
