Unveiling the concealed impacts of air pollution on the brain and the heart

In a pair of significant studies, the detrimental effects of air pollution on both heart health and cognitive function have been underscored.

The first study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, focused on British citizens born after 1946, primarily middle-aged adults (45 to 64 years old). The research evaluated the exposure of participants to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and fine particles (PM10 and PM2.5).

Jordi Bañeras, co-author of the study, warned that PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles can alter the functioning of blood vessels, potentially leading to increased risk of clots. High levels of nitrogen oxides were associated with a reduction in hippocampal volume, a critical area for memory and learning.

As participants aged, exposure to these pollutants was linked to dilation of the brain's ventricles and a decline in cognitive function, including slower mental processing. When participants were between 69 and 71 years old, their cognitive performance and brain structure were analysed through memory, processing speed, and brain images obtained by magnetic resonance.

The second study, conducted by the organisation LUDOK, which specialises in studies related to short-term and long-term air pollution exposure and heart attack endpoints, found that increased exposure to nitrogen dioxide and particles during middle age is associated with a significant increase in hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction.

The cardiological study analysed data from 122 hospitals in Spain's National Health System. The results showed that concentrations of PM 2.5 particles above 10 micrograms per cubic meter in the three days prior to hospitalization are associated with a significant increase in hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction.

The Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) and the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC) found that pollution increases hospitalizations and mortality from acute myocardial infarction during hospitalization, which can increase by up to 14% on days with high levels. Suspended particles, including mineral and/or organic substances, are harmful to human health, and the most harmful are those with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 μm (PM10).

When pollution levels are very high and exceed 25 micrograms per cubic meter, the risk of mortality increases by 14%. The rupture of the plaques that form in arteries, which can trigger serious events such as a heart attack, is related to the effects of PM 2.5 particles.

These findings strengthen the need to advance with emission reduction policies as an essential public health strategy to protect brain function in the long term and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Unveiling the concealed impacts of air pollution on the brain and the heart