New Delhi, June 7: Air pollution affects not only our hearts but also our brains. A new study suggests that prolonged exposure to air pollution can severely impair memory and cognitive abilities. Researchers claim that the impact of air pollution could be equivalent to aging by nearly ten years.
The study was conducted by researchers from American institutions UC Davis Health and Kaiser Permanente, focusing on the effects of fine particulate matter on brain health.
Researchers noted that pollution from wildfires, fossil fuel-based power plants, artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, and high-emission vehicles is continuously degrading air quality. According to the study, these pollutants pose a serious threat not just to the environment but also to human brain health.
The findings revealed that individuals living in highly polluted environments for nearly 20 years exhibited significantly weaker memory. Participants were tested on their ability to recall facts, words, and general knowledge. Results showed that those in polluted areas consistently scored lower than those in cleaner environments.
The researchers found that the most significant impact was on “semantic memory,” which is the ability to remember words, their meanings, concepts, and general knowledge used in daily life.
Katherine Conlon, the senior author of the study and a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at UC Davis, emphasized that semantic memory is crucial for effective communication, language comprehension, information processing, and everyday tasks.
The researchers believe this study strengthens the growing scientific evidence linking air pollution to health issues. They stressed the need for improving air quality and reducing long-term exposure to harmful pollutants to protect both physical and mental health.
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