A study in which mice were exposed to polluted air for three 5-hour sessions a week for 10 weeks, has revealed that such exposure damaged neurons in the hippocampus and caused inflammation in the brain. The polluted air was laden with particles collected from an urban freeway.
Another recent study found that, of 215 children, those whose cord blood showed high levels of combustion-related pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), had more attention (and anxiety) problems at ages 5 and 7. The children were born to nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women residing in New York City.
Reference:
[2233]
(2011). Glutamatergic Neurons in Rodent Models Respond to Nanoscale Particulate Urban Air Pollutants In Vivo and In Vitro.
Environmental Health Perspectives.
Full text at http://ehponline.org/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.1002973
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(2011). PAH/Aromatic DNA Adducts in Cord Blood and Behavior Scores in New York City Children.
Environmental Health Perspectives.
Full text at http://ehponline.org/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.1002705