Particulate matter damages cognitive performance
October 2021
University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
In the present study, the effects of particulate matter on lung function and cognitive performance of 49,705 people were investigated in long-term cohorts. The people all lived in areas with relatively low levels of air pollution. Furthermore, socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, education, existing pre-existing conditions and much more were taken into account in the evaluation of the results. The Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB), a validated computer-aided method, was used to assess the cognitive performance of the participants. The results showed that higher exposure to particulate matter is significantly associated with slower cognitive processing time (CPT). By means of mediation analyses, it was investigated whether the neurotoxicological pollutants reach the brain directly via the olfactory nerve or the bloodstream, or are indirectly mediated by lung function. This showed that particularly fine particles predominantly follow the direct path and even small amounts are sufficient to induce cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the hypothesis was confirmed that air pollutants enter the lungs by inhalation, which impairs lung function and can lead to pneumonia. On the basis of the results, further ways in which pollutants can specifically damage organs are now to be investigated.
Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter, lung function and cognitive performance: A prospective Dutch cohort study on the underlying routes
Benjamin Aretz
Added on: 08-17-2022
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935121008276?via%3Dihub#sec5
