A baby's exposure to air pollution while in the womb is associated with the development of certain mental health problems once the infant reaches adolescence, new research has found. The University of Bristol-led study, published in JAMA Network Open today [28 May], examined the long-term mental health impact of early-life exposure to air and noise pollution. Growing evidence suggests air pollution, which comprises toxic gases and particulate matter, might contribute to the onset of mental health problems.
It is thought that pollution could negatively affect mental health via numerous pathways, including by compromising the blood-brain barrier, promoting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, and directly entering the brain and damaging tissue. Despite youth being a key period for the onset of these problems, until now, relatively few studies have investigated the associations of air and noise exposure during early life with mental health. In this new study, researchers sought to examine the long-term impact of air and noise pollution exposure during pregnancy, early childhood and adolescence on three common mental health problems: psychotic experiences (including hallucinations, such as hearing or seeing things that others cannot, and delusions, such as having very paranoid thoughts), depression and anxiety.
To investigate this, the team used data from over 9,000 participants from Bristol's Children of the 90s birth cohort study (also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of.
