Air Pollution messes with your MIND new study finds

Conclusions : Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with high symptoms of anxiety, with more recent exposures potentially more relevant than more distant exposures. Research evaluating whether reductions in exposure to ambient PM2.5 would reduce the population level burden of clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety is warranted.

Last Edited by Time is sealed. on 03/26/2015 08:15 PM

What is already known on this topic

Toxicological work suggests exposure to particulate air pollution may induce or exacerbate anxiety through increased oxidative stress and systemic inflammation
While a small but growing body of literature suggests an association between air pollution and mental health outcomes, including anxiety, data on the relation between exposure to particulate air pollution and anxiety in humans is lacking

What this study adds

Our study suggests that higher exposure to PM2.5 (particulate matter <2.5 &#956;m in diameter) especially higher recent exposure, is associated with an increased risk of high symptoms of anxiety