Sitting in traffic for just 2 hours can lead to brain damage, study finds

ANGELS – If your commute requires you to sit in traffic for an extended period of time, the doctors have a warning for you.

New Neurosciences research from the University of British Columbia shows that exposure to traffic pollution – even for as little as two hours – results in decreased brain function.

The study focused on a person’s functional connectivity, which is a measure that tests how different regions of the brain interact with each other. According to the study authors, this is the first controlled experiment to show evidence of humans showing impaired brain network connectivity following exposure to air pollution.

“For many decades, scientists believed that the brain could be protected from the harmful effects of air pollution,” said Chris Carlsten, Professor and Head of Respiratory Medicine and Canada Research Chair in occupational and environmental lung diseases at UBC.

In the study, 25 healthy adults were exposed to diesel exhaust or filtered air, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was then used to measure their brain activity before and after. after each exposure.

An fMRI shows a decrease in functional connectivity in the brain following exposure to road pollution. / University of British Columbia

Analyzes that analyzed the Default Mode Network (DMN) of the brain – which includes several connected brain regions that impact internal thoughts and memories – showed that people exposed to diesel exhaust have activity DMN lower than air-filtered group.

The researchers noted that the neurological effects of diesel exhaust were temporary and that everyone exposed to air pollution saw their brain activity return to normal.

As for long-term exposure, such as sitting in traffic daily, the study authors said it could cause more permanent damage.

Doctors have advised people to think twice before rolling down the windows when stuck in traffic and to make sure the car’s air filter is in top condition. If possible, consider using a less crowded route, or walk or cycle to the destination.