Researchers from the Universities of British Columbia and Victoria have studied for the first time the effects of air
In their experiments, scientists subjected 25healthy adults exposed to diesel engine exhaust or filtered air for variable periods of time. The brain activity of study participants was measured before and after each exposure using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Scientists analyzed how the effects of gasesaffects the network of the passive mode of the brain. This is a set of neural networks that are activated "in the background" when a person is not busy solving a specific problem, but dreams, reflects, "hovers in the clouds." SPRM plays an important role in memory and inner thinking.
The study showed a decrease in functionalconnectivity—a characteristic that tells us how well different areas of the brain communicate with each other—across large regions of the brain after exposure to diesel exhaust.
Decreased functional connectivity of SPRM on fMRI. Image: Jodie R. Gawryluk et al., Environmental Health, University of British Columbia
Scientists note that during experimentsviolations were short-lived, brain function recovered after a few hours. However, they concede that with regular exposure, such as standing in traffic for long periods of time with windows open every day, damage can be long-term.
It is known that functional impairment inSTRM is associated with cognitive decline and symptoms of depression, so we are concerned that gas pollution from traffic is disrupting these same networks.
Jody Gavrilyuk, professor of psychology at the University of Victoria and co-author of the study
Scientists plan to continue the analysis and determinewhether other sources of emissions, such as smog from forest fires, cause similar disturbances, and to study the effects of long-term "intoxication" from car gases.
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