This is not entirely new: a growing number of studies indicate that fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) is neurotoxic and threatens the neurobehavioral development of children, resulting in reduced cognitive function. A warning, therefore, to understand the extent of this effect and establish public health policies that protect it children’s healthpreserve human capital and support the progress of society.
Yes, because a low IQ corresponds to an inadequate ruling class, the researchers provoke.
At least this is what the new study published in Environmental Health aims to convey, yet another one that confirms what children do are particularly vulnerable to the impact of air pollution due to their developing bodies and still poorly evolved immunological and respiratory systems.
The study
The findings are based on a review and analysis of data by six epidemiological studies representing 4,860 children from diverse populations in North America, Europe and Asia. This is the first time that researchers have quantified the correlation between early exposure to fine particulate matter in the air (PM2.5) and declines in verbal and nonverbal mental abilities, as measured by scores. quotient of intelligence (IQ).
IQ tests evaluate a range of mental abilities, including memory, reasoning, working with numbers, language processing, and thinking about objects in three dimensions.
Without exception, every study reported a negative association between PM2.5 exposure and children’s cognitive function, the researchers say. The findings are important because a child’s IQ can predict his or her neurological development, future academic achievement, employment opportunities, financial earnings and economic mobility in adulthood.
That is to say that, globally, reduced cognitive function in children can primarily increase the need for adequate educational support in schools, but also reduce a society’s gross domestic product (GDP) and future leadership potential, say researchers. scholars.
Children at greater risk of disease than adults
Children are particularly vulnerable to the impact of air pollution and also breathe at a faster rate, inhaling more air than adults, as well as being more physically active outdoors.
In 2021, exposure to air pollution was linked to more than 700,000 deaths of children under the age of five worldwide, making it the second-largest risk factor for death for this age group, after malnutrition, according to l ‘Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). It is estimated that 201,000 of these deaths were linked specifically to exposure to PM2.5.
PM2.5 is a byproduct of combustion (burning) emissions from vehicles, power plants and industries or sources such as construction sites and fires. With a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair, its particles can penetrate directly into the brain through the olfactory bulb (brain structure involved in our sense of smell) and can also lodge deep in the lungs when we inhale, causing respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
If PM2.5 has been identified as a risk factor in adults for neurodegenerative conditions, including cognitive impairment, in children Studies have shown that high exposure to air pollution can:
Furthermore, another recent study, which involved more than 8,500 children aged between 9 and 10 years, also found an association between cumulative exposure to PM2.5 and worsening cognitive performance.
Children’s non-verbal intelligence is most damaged by air pollution
In the latest study, children participating in the six surveys were exposed to an average PM2.5 concentration of 30.4 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³). For context, the World Health Organization (WHO) sets an annual average of 5 μg/m³, while the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the primary standard at 9 μg/m³.
Exposure times varied, from the prenatal period to mid-childhood. The children were approximately 9 years old at the time of the IQ testing. For every 1 microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5, the researchers found “statistically significant” decreases of 0.39 points in performance IQ (PIQ), an important aspect of cognition. This compares with a loss of 0.24 points in verbal IQ (VIQ) and 0.27 points in full-scale IQ (FSIQ, a composite measure of PIQ, VIQ, and other indices of cognitive function).
The significant association demonstrates that air pollution can affect a child’s cognitive function even at extremely low levels that are considered ‘safe’ by current air quality standards.
Limitations of the study include the paucity of available data on early exposure to air pollution, the researchers say, saying their findings should be “interpreted with caution” and re-examined as more data emerges.
In the meantime, however, it goes without saying that it is already widely established that to guarantee a better future (but also a better society and ruling class) it is not on this path that we must continue: only continuous and constant contact with natural environments and spaces green during childhood benefits mental and physical health in adulthood. Don’t you think it is now urgent to make a clear change in the place where our children live?
