Being stuck in traffic on one's way to work or elsewhere can be quite a frustrating experience. It consumes so much time and tends to be a reason why several people are late to their appointments. However, the consequences of being stuck in traffic actually go beyond such inconveniences and into health matters as well.
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Traffic Pollution Linked to Brain Damage
According to the Daily Mail, a new study reveals how breathing in diesel while stuck in traffic for just a few hours may lead to cognitive and brain function impairments. In fact, the specialists from Canada discovered how such damage leads to measurable alterations within just two hours.
The study was published in the Environmental Health publication. As part of the study, the researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria exposed 25 people, ranging in age from ages 19 to 49, to diesel-contaminated air and filtered air. They did so on different occasions in a lab setting for two full hours.
During this period, each participant lightly used a stationary bike for 15 minutes to boost their inhalation.
Each participant also went through an MRI scan before and after they got exposed. This was done in order for the researchers to monitor the participants' brain activity in various stages.
The researchers discovered how nasally ingesting diesel exhaust boosted functional connectivity. Such a measure refers to the communication and interaction of brain regions with each other.
More specifically, the scientists looked into alterations in the DMN (Default Mode Network) of the brain. The DMN refers to a set of brain regions that have higher activity when performing passive tasks compared to other tasks that require more attention.
The Daily Mail notes how DMN damage impacts various brain areas, such as the posterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, inferior parietal lobe, hippocampal formation, and lateral temporal cortex. DMN activity is heightened when individuals are awake but not doing any mental exercises.
First author and psychologist Dr. Jodie Gawryluk from the University of Victoria notes how it is known that changes in functional connectivity within the DMN have been linked to depression symptoms and cognitive decline. Dr. Gawryluk expresses how concerning it is that traffic pollution affects these networks as well. Though there is a need for further study to know how such alterations impact function, there is a possibility that these may affect individuals' work ability or thinking.
Implications
According to Geo News, senior study author Dr. Chris Carlsten notes how individuals may like to think again about rolling their windows down whenever they are stuck in traffic.
Nevertheless, there is a glimmer of hope revealed by the study. The Daily Mail notes that these neurological impacts did not last long. However, being exposed to traffic pollution in the long term may significantly intensify health threats.
The Daily Mail reports that chronic exposure is essentially several periodic exposures that lead to compounded deficits through cumulative stress load. However, specialists need to further study whether this does or does not apply to neurocognition.
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