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Neurotoxic effects of air pollution: an urgent public health concern

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 24, pages 129–130 (2023)Cite this article

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A growing body of epidemiological evidence linking air pollution to multiple brain disorders suggests that these adverse effects are produced by mechanisms that are shared across these disorders. More stringent, targeted regulatory policies may therefore be required to ensure public health protection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers air pollution (AP) to be the greatest environmental risk to health1; 97% of the world’s population live in areas where WHO health-based AP guidelines (generally related to well-documented cardiopulmonary effects) are exceeded. Recognition of the brain as a potential target of AP, however, has emerged only recently, with a rapidly accumulating epidemiological literature reporting associations of AP with increased risk for multiple adverse neurological consequences2,3. If AP contributes to brain disorders4, regulation of AP exposure could have substantial financial, social and brain health benefits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, USA

    Deborah A. Cory-Slechta & Marissa Sobolewski

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  1. Deborah A. Cory-Slechta
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  2. Marissa Sobolewski
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Correspondence to Deborah A. Cory-Slechta.

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Nature Reviews Neuroscience thanks C. Thornton and A. D’Angiulli for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Cory-Slechta, D.A., Sobolewski, M. Neurotoxic effects of air pollution: an urgent public health concern. Nat Rev Neurosci 24, 129–130 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-022-00672-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-022-00672-8

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