Skip to main content

Traffic Pollution Can Impair Brain Function In Just 2 Hours, Says Study

Traffic Pollution Can Impair Brain Function In Just 2 Hours, Says New Study

The exposure to diesel exhaust for just two hours reduces the brain's functional connectivity.

People living in metropolitan cities have been battling pollution for a very long time. Long-term exposure to air pollution, particularly dust from building activities in severe weather, affects the respiratory system in addition to causing heart and neurological issues such cardiac arrests, strokes and stomach issues. Now, a recent study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria found that even moderate traffic pollution can impair brain function within hours.

The study was published in the journal Environmental Health and reveals that exposure to diesel exhaust for just two hours reduces the brain's functional connectivity. It offers the first scientific proof of altered brain network connectivity brought on by air pollution in humans in a controlled experiment.

The researchers conducted the study by briefly exposing 25 healthy adults to diesel exhaust and filtered air at different times in a laboratory setting. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain activity was recorded before and after each exposure for all adults.

The brain's default mode network (DMN), a set of interconnected brain regions that are crucial for memory and internal thought, was the focus of the researchers' analysis. After exposure to diesel exhaust as compared to filtered air, the results showed that subjects had less functional connectivity in many areas of the DMN.

Dr Jodie Gawryluk, a psychology professor at the University of Victoria and the study's first author stated, "We know that altered functional connectivity in the DMN has been associated with reduced cognitive performance and symptoms of depression, so it's concerning to see traffic pollution interrupting these same networks." He said that  more research is needed to fully understand the functional impacts of these changes. However, "it's possible that they may impair people's thinking or ability to work."

However, the changes in the brain were only temporary and people's connectivity went back to normal after the exposure. The researchers speculated that where exposure is continuous, the effects could be long lasting. 

Senior study author and Head of Respiratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia, Dr Chris Carlsten said, "People may want to think twice the next time they're stuck in traffic with the windows rolled down. It's important to ensure that your car's air filter is in good working order, and if you're walking or biking down a busy street, consider diverting to a less busy route." 

Featured Video Of The Day

Students Detained At Delhi University After Clashes Over BBC Series On PM

Adblock test (Why?)



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/0Rq28D1 https://ift.tt/91dzZfe
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

North Korea Says It Tested New Strategic Cruise Missile

North Korea test-fired a new generation of strategic cruise missile on Wednesday. (Representational) Seoul: North Korea fired several cruise missiles towards the Yellow Sea on Wednesday, Seoul's military said, the latest in a series of tension-raising moves by the nuclear-armed state. Hours later, North Korea appeared to confirm the firing, saying it had carried out its first test of a new generation of strategic cruise missiles it is developing, the Pulhwasal-3-31. Pyongyang has accelerated weapons testing in the new year, including tests of what it called an "underwater nuclear weapon system" and a solid-fuelled hypersonic ballistic missile. "Our military detected several cruise missiles launched by North Korea towards the Yellow Sea at around 7:00 am today," the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Unlike their ballistic counterparts, the testing of cruise missiles is not banned under current UN sanctions against Pyongyang. Cruise...

18-Year-Old Killed By Friends Over Mobile Game Password In Bengal: Cops

According to cops, accused "friends" attempted to burn the victim after killing him. (Representational) Kolkata: An argument over sharing the password of an online mobile game allegedly led to the murder of a teenage boy by four of his friends in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, a senior police officer said. The body of 18-year-old Papai Das, who had been missing since January 8, was discovered near Nishindra Ghat of the feeder canal in Farakka on Monday, police said. Papai, a class 10 student, was reportedly killed by his four "close" friends after a disagreement over sharing the password for a mobile online game. The accused individuals have been arrested, police added. "These five individuals used to play online games at one of the quarters of the Farakka Barrage. The victim went out on the evening of January 8 and never returned. On January 9, the family lodged a police complaint. "Based on preliminary investigations, we discovered that...

"Jaiswal Has Run Ahead Of Gill": Ex-India Star's Massive T20 WC Verdict

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has suggested that Yashasvi Jaiswal is slightly ahead of Shubman Gill in the pecking order as captain Rohit Sharma's partner at the top in T20Is. Since making his debut last year, Jaiswal has been in stunning form in the shortest format of the game. Gill's form, on the other hand, has dipped since the ODI World Cup last year in India. With the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held later this year, Chopra feels Jaiswal will open the innings with Rohit during the tournament. "It's clear that Yashasvi Jaiswal has run ahead of Shubman Gill. Yashasvi is ahead in the two-horse race, Gill is lagging slightly behind. Gill was played in the first match, dropped in the second, and wasn't played in the third as well," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. Jaiswal helped India beat Afghanistan in the second T20I earlier this week, scoring a quickfire fifty. Considering his recent form across formats, Chopra emphasised that Jaiswal has ...