Researchers have linked exposure to air pollutants, particularly in the first five years of life, to changes in brain structure, which may expose children to psychological and cognitive disorders later in life. The study, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, found a correlation in children aged 9 to 12 years between exposure to air pollutants in utero and during the first 8.5 years of life and changes in the structural connectivity of white matter in the brain.
The more a child was exposed to air pollution before the age of five, the more significant the observable changes in brain structure during pre-adolescence, according to the findings of the study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). The areas or bundles of white matter in the brain facilitate structural connectivity by linking different regions of the brain. Connectivity can be measured by studying the microstructure of this white matter, which is a marker of typical brain development. Abnormal microstructure of white matter has been associated with psychological disorders such as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders.
In addition to the correlation between air pollution and the microstructure of white matter, the study also found a link between specific exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and the volume of the putamen, a brain structure involved in motor function, learning processes, and many other functions. The effects were observed even at pollution levels that comply with European Union standards.
