Pollution puts children’s brain at a clear disadvantage
High levels of air pollution fatigue the brain structure of the little ones.
The scientists of Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology of Barcelona talk about “down effect” referring to the cerebral slowdown that can affect children exposed to high levels of pollution. The study published in the Epidemiology magazine, shows as children, exposed to traffic-related contamination during the way to school, would make more effort to follow their lessons in the classroom, taking longer to answer to questions and accusing, in general, concentration difficulties.
During days characterized by high peaks of air pollution increase the risks of depression, psychosis and early dementias.
Also the University of Turin (Italy) has showed that the pollution would be responsible even of genetic mutations and DNA alterations.
Study analyses
The study has concerned a sample of 2.600 students from 7 to 10 years, with some evaluation tests of the ability to be careful at school and comparing the results with the fluctuations in the quality of the air. The experts explain that chronic exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in preadolescent children is associated with subclinical changes in the caudate nucleus of their brains.