Air Pollution Can Reduce a Person’s Intelligence: Study

Air pollution has been a major threat to physical health, however, a recent study in China by researchers at Yale School of Public Health, USA, has revealed that it has far deeper impacts including a significant reduction in intelligence.

The study, performed on 20,000 people across the country from 2010-14, was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Impact

Researchers believe that breathing in polluted air can have an impact equivalent to reducing your level of education by one year; students scored poorly in language and arithmetic when exposed to high levels of pollution as compared to normal tests. The test results were measured against the air toxicity levels to understand how it affects men and women differently. It was found that the language ability is more affected when exposed to dirty air.

The impact becomes more severe for the men, the elderly (over 64) and those who are less educated; it accounts for a few years of education loss. The research has revealed that the cognitive performance of students worsens with air pollution, however, this is the first study to include people, both men and women, of all ages.

We make important financial decisions after age 64, therefore, the findings are ‘worrying’ for public health experts.

Researcher Xi Chen stressed that it is not just a correlation rather air pollution is a major cause of intelligence loss. The study accounted for several other factors such as genetic differences and a gradual decline in cognitive abilities as well. Pollution also has a short-term impact which can have serious consequences.

Earlier Studies

Earlier studies have shown different aspects of air pollution, for instance, more likelihood of dementia in those living near busy roads, mental illness in children and high mortality rates for mental disorder patients and premature deaths. However, reduction in mental abilities is not a known impact of air toxicity.

The researchers claim that the results are applicable across the globe and that the loss would be incremental. 1 mg of increase in air pollution in three years would mean an education loss of one month. He also revealed that the smaller particles in the air are more damaging and that the governments need to root out air pollution as there is no other solution to the problem.

Image Source: Futurism

Via The Guardian