Alarming! Even Brief Exposure To Traffic Pollution Can Disrupt Brain Functioning, Reveals Study 

Have you ever wondered how far the impact of traffic and air pollution could have on your body functioning? A new research has studied the correlation between traffic pollution and brain cognition to understand the extent to which it can impair a human's brain capacity

. This is the first-ever study that quantified the effects by showing it through a controlled experiment using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The researchers studied the brain functioning under exposure to diesel exhaust and were able to deduce that it disrupts brain activity to the extent that it affects even communication and interaction skills.

Traffic Pollution Goes Beyond Breathing Difficulties

The peer-reviewed findings published in the journal Environmental Health provide a breakthrough in understanding how traffic impacts human health. Beyond the basic understanding of pollutants entering the lungs, the study reveals that barely two hours of exposure to diesel exhaust causes a decrease in the brain's functional connectivity. The findings come after a controlled experiment was carried out with humans being exposed to induced air pollution.

Senior study author, Dr. Chris Carlsten, stated that for decades scientists have thought that the brain remains protected from the harmful effects of air pollution. However, this study provides first-of-its-kind evidence that supports a connection between air pollution and cognition. According to an Economic Times report, even common levels of traffic pollution could impair human brain function within a matter of hours.

Diesel Exhaust's Impact On Brain Network

For the study, the researchers exposed 25 healthy adults to diesel exhaust and filtered air at different durations in a controlled lab setting. Brain activity was measured before and after the exposure through fMRI. They then analysed the changes experienced in the brain's default mode network (DMN). DMN is a network of interconnected brain regions that play a key role in memory and internal thought. The fMRI conducted revealed that the participants had decreased brain functional connectivity in specific areas of the DMN after being exposed to diesel exhaust, as compared to filtered air.

The study's first author, Dr Jodie Gawryluk, said that the altered connectivity points in the DMN point toward reduced cognitive performance and even symptoms of depression. While Jodie conveyed that more in-depth research is required to fully understand the functional impacts of these changes, the available data is concerning. The research claims that traffic pollution can potentially impair people's ability to think or work. It could also possibly disrupt the brain's ability to interact and communicate normally.

Also Read: The Logical Indian's Outlook On Overall Issue Of Air Pollution In Delhi & Odd-Even Car Rule