A New Study Found That Air Pollution Can Substantially Increase The Risk Of Depression
A new study conducted by the Lieber Institute for Brain Development found that air pollution can substantially increase the risk of depression in healthy people with a genetic predisposition to the illness.
Air pollution has received a lot of spotlight for its impact on global climate change. While this is undoubtedly important, the coinciding health hazards should also be highlighted in the fight to curb emissions.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills about seven million people around the globe each year.
In addition, ninety-nine percent of people breathe in air that exceeds WHO pollutant guidelines. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency., in 2020 alone, the U.S. emitted sixty-eight million tons of pollutants into the atmosphere.
Clearly, air pollution is a terrible cause of morbidity. But, the correlations between air pollution and physical illnesses– such as respiratory diseases– have been known.
So, instead, this study was the first of its kind to investigate the correlation between air pollution and depression– a mental illness.
The study included just over three hundred and fifty healthy adults who live in Beijing. Beijing was an ideal location since the city documents pollution levels daily.
First, the researchers calculated each participant’s polygenic depression risk score through genotyping.
This score represents the genetic likelihood of suffering from depression. Then, the researchers collected each participant’s air pollution exposure for six months. The participants also underwent cognitive testing during this time.
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The study’s results found that individuals with a predisposition to depression, who also live in places with high levels of air pollution, are much more likely to develop the mental illness.
Zhi Li, the lead author of the study, said, “Our results are the first to show a direct, neurological link between air pollution and how the brain works in processing emotional and cognitive information and in risk for depression.”
Daniel Weinberger, the co-author of the study, agreed and added, “The key message in this study is that air pollution is affecting important cognitive and emotional circuitry of the brain by changing the expression of genes that are conducive to depression. As a result, more people in high-pollution areas will become depressed because their genes and pollution in their environment will exaggerate the individual effects of each.”
The researchers are hopeful that this study will help push world leaders to address the substantial levels of air pollution internationally.
Hao Yang Tan, a Lieber Institute investigator, said, “Armed with this knowledge, leaders and public health officials around the globe have ample evidence that additional air pollution controls will lead to improved cognitive function and lower rates of depression.”
Tan also believes that the long-term price of depression calls for immediate action.
“There is an urgent need for scientific and policy strategies to better identify and protect vulnerable individuals from the deleterious brain impacts of air pollution,” Tan said.
To read the full scientific study, visit the link here.
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