It might be air pollution, study finds Air pollution significantly impacts people’s ability to interpret emotions or focus on performing a task, a study has found.
Researchers from the Universities of Birmingham and Manchester exposed study participants to either high levels of air pollution - using candle smoke - or clean air, testing cognitive abilities before and four hours after exposure.
Researchers said the study highlights the need for further research to understand the pathways through which air pollution affects cognitive functions and to explore the long-term impacts, especially on vulnerable populations like children and older adults.
“Reduced productivity impacts economic growth, further highlighting the urgent need for stricter air quality regulations and public health measures to combat the harmful effects of pollution on brain health, particularly in highly polluted urban areas.”.
The study revealed that selective attention and emotion recognition were negatively affected by air pollution – regardless of whether subjects breathed normally or only through their mouths.
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