Air Pollution Can Disrupt Children's Brain Development Process

Illustration (Yan Krukou/Pexels)

JAKARTA - Exposure to air pollutants, even if pollution levels are categorized as safe, can cause changes in brain function and risk disrupting the brain development process in children.

A study conducted by the Keck School of Medicine shows that the level of air pollutants that are considered safe according to EPA (US environmental protection agency) standards can still threaten the development of brain function over time.

The research, published at Environment International, examined data samples from the brain examination process belonging to more than 9000 participants from Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development. Children exposed to more pollutants show changes in connectivity between various brain tissues.

"Any disorder that affects the normal process of brain development, whether brain tissue is too connected or less connected, can be dangerous (brain development process)," said Devyn L. Cotter, MSc, a neuroscience doctoral candidate from the Keck School of Medicine as well as the lead author of the research. quoted from Medical Xpress.

Communication between brain tissues helps humans in directing their mindset when facing daily events ranging from how humans receive information about the surrounding environment to how humans think and feel.

Connectivity between brain tissues is formed at the age of 9 to 12 years which can affect the cognitive and emotional development process in children.

"Air quality across America, although'safe' according to EPA standards, affects changes in brain tissue during this critical period, which may reflect biomarkers ( Biological indicators for disease, infection, or body disorders) early to increase the risk of cognitive and emotional problems in the future," Megan M. Herting, Ph.D., a public health expert from the Keck School of Medicine who also took part in the research.