Does pollution affect the developing brain of the fetus?
Find out if pollution can affect the brain development of a fetus when it is in its mother’s womb, and later.
It is nothing new to know that pollution affects all of us. Society knows that pollution is negative for our health and our planet but there are really few who are really aware that it is everyone’s job that we can enjoy a less polluted planet and thus reduce the diseases caused in people due to the pollution.
But is it possible that pollution affects children’s brains ? In reality, increasing exposure of infants to ‘safe levels of air pollution’ is linked to brain abnormalities that can affect long-term cognitive function. This has been shown by a study conducted by the Netherlands.
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POLLUTION AND CHILDREN’S BRAINS
It is observed that pollution can have effects on brain development in relation to the levels of pollution particles that are below the current limit of the European Union. The safety of current levels of air pollution in cities cannot be guaranteed, according to the study. This was commented by Dr. Mònica Guxens, from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and the Erasmus University Medical Center.
COULD POLLUTION CAUSE ADHD?
Exposure to fine particles during fetal life was associated with a thinner outer layer of the brain, called the cortex, in several regions. These brain abnormalities contribute in part to the difficulty of inhibitory control – the ability to regulate self-control over temptations and impulsive behavior. This is linked to mental health problems such as addictive behavior and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ).
A STUDY OF 700 CHILDREN TO PROVE IT
The fetus brain is particularly vulnerable during pregnancy as it has not yet been able to develop the defense mechanisms necessary to protect itself from environmental toxins. The study followed pregnant women, and in total a total of 783 unborn children were included in the study.
Researchers assessed household air pollution levels through air pollution monitoring campaigns. They included levels of nitrogen dioxide (a prominent air pollutant caused by traffic and smoking), coarse particles, and fine particles.
Brain imaging performed when the children were 6 to 10 years old revealed abnormalities in the thickness of the cerebral cortex of the precuneus and the rostral mid-frontal region. Despite the relationship between these alterations in brain structure and exposure to fine particles, the average residential levels of fine particles in the study were well below the current acceptable limit set by the EU. Average residential nitrogen dioxide levels were at the safe limit.
AIR POLLUTION AND THE DEVELOPING BRAIN
Air pollution is harmful to the lungs, heart and other organs for anyone, but the effects on the brain of the developing fetus have never been studied. Existing studies of women who smoke and inhale these toxins also show how these toxins can have negative effects on the cognitive development of fetuses.
The study findings suggest that exposure to levels even below those considered safe could cause permanent brain damage. For this reason, it is important that pregnant women are aware of these data in order to minimize their exposure to places where there may be high levels of environmental contamination.
In this sense, pollution is an environmental problem that affects all the inhabitants of the planet and for this reason, it is necessary that we become aware of this problem and that we put a remedy through small daily actions.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.