A McMaster University professor emphasizes that avoiding exposure to air pollution not only safeguards your lungs but also shields your brain from harm.
According to Russell de Souza, prolonged exposure to two common air pollutants has been linked to minor differences in brain health that are quantifiable.
De Souza, who works at the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at the university in Hamilton, collaborated on a research study published on May 13 in the journal Stroke.
The study investigated the impact of exposure to typical air pollutants on the cognitive abilities of approximately 7,000 Canadian participants, as outlined by de Souza during an interview on CBC’s London Morning radio program.
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The study participants, with an average age of 57 and hailing from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, were enrolled between 2014 and 2018. The researchers assessed their exposure to air pollution in the five years leading up to the study.
One of the pollutants under scrutiny was fine particulate matter, commonly present in sources like wildfire smoke, industrial emissions, and vehicle exhaust. The other was nitrogen dioxide, a gas also emitted by vehicles.
The researchers evaluated brain health using tests such as the Montréal Cognitive Assessment, which involves word recall, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, which assesses number-symbol matching.
De Souza explained, “These tests collectively provide insights into the brain’s functions and efficiency.”
Researcher notes detectable declines, not severe
The study revealed that exposure to both air pollutants led to reduced scores on the cognitive tests.
De Souza clarified, “While these declines are not drastic enough for individuals to notice sudden and extreme memory lapses, they indicate early measurable changes that can be addressed before worsening.”
Overall, de Souza acknowledged that Canada has made significant progress in combating air pollution, resulting in some of the cleanest air globally. Nevertheless, he highlighted that recent climate-induced wildfires have partly offset these achievements.
