There is a growing body of evidence indicating that exposure to air pollution adversely affects the brain development. This concern is particularly acute for children, as they are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of pollutants due to ongoing neurodevelopment. Air pollutants can influence neurodevelopment through various mechanisms, including inflammation and oxidative stress, which may trigger changes in placental functioning during pregnancy.
White matter is crucial for effective communication between different brain regions. The organization and integrity of white matter tracts are essential for learning, memory, and overall brain function. White matter development begins in utero and continues throughout childhood and adolescence, with myelination playing a key role in this process. Changes in white matter microstructure can be assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a neuroimaging technique that allows researchers to visualize and quantify water diffusion in white matter.
Studies investigating the association between air pollution and white matter microstructure have shown inconsistent results. Most studies have only examined the effects at a single time point; data on how pollution impacts white matter changes over time, particularly through adolescence, is scarce. This knowledge gap was addressed in a study recently published in Environmental Research, which examined how exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and childhood affects the longitudinal development of white matter microstructure during adolescence (see Graphic).
(Source: Kusters MS, López-Vicente M, Muetzel RL, Binter AC, Petricola S, Tiemeier H, Guxens M. Residential ambient air pollution exposure and the development of white matter microstructure throughout adolescence. Environ. Res. 2024. 1;262:119828. Doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119828)