10:53 PM
Monday 06 March 2023
Air pollution not only negatively affects the heart and lungs, but also poses a great threat to mental health, as it increases the risk of some mental disorders, according to a recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry.
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The study researchers found that people who were exposed to air pollutants regularly were 8 and 17% more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, and 9 and 14%, respectively, compared to those who lived in areas with less polluted air.
The researchers explained that air pollutants that cause depression and anxiety include “car exhaust and coal plant fumes,” according to CNN.
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When the research team examined the records of 390,000 people in the United Kingdom, they noted that more than 13,000 of them were diagnosed with depression and 15,835 with anxiety.
The researchers hypothesized that the cause is due to damage to the central nervous system, especially the brain, from air pollution.
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