Study finds exposure to traffic pollution can impair brain functions

Any Filipino who's gone on a commute in Metro Manila knows just how much of a headache traffic is. It's sometimes said as a joke, but now a new study is saying that exposure to traffic pollution can actually negatively affect brain function.

A new study published in the Journal of Environmental Health showed that just two hours of exposure to diesel exhaust causes a decrease in the brain's functional connectivity. In the study, researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria took 25 healthy adults and briefly exposed them to diesel exhaust as well as filtered air in a laboratory setting. The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain activity before and after exposure, specifically changes in the brain's default mode network (DMN), which is a set of interconnected brain regions involved in internal thought and memory.

What the researchers discovered is that those who were exposed to disease exhaust showed decreased functional connectivity in regions of the DMN compared to those who were exposed to filtered air. Dr. Jodie Gawryluk, one of the authors of the study and a psychology professor at the University of Victoria, said that there is a possibility of the changes impairing one's thinking or ability to work.

"We know that altered functional connectivity in the DMN has been associated with reduced cognitive performance and symptoms of depression, so it's concerning to see traffic pollution interrupting these same networks," she said. “While more research is needed to fully understand the functional impacts of these changes, it's possible that they may impair people's thinking or ability to work."

While this study is the first to look into the effects of air pollution to the brain, the past several months has seen numerous experiments undertaken involving brain function and the factors that affect it.

Back in August last year, a study presented at the 2022 Alzheimer's Association International Conference revealed that even a mild exercise routine can help combat mild memory problems that could be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease.

A study published in the journal Natural Scientific Reports found that playing a piano can positively affect the brain's processing power as well as boost their overall mood.

MEANWHILE, TAKE SOME INSPIRATION FROM THE FIT CELEBRITIES IN THE GALLERY BELOW TO ENGAGE IN SOME EXERCISE.