10:53 PM
Monday 06 March 2023
Air pollution not only negatively affects the heart and lungs, but also poses a 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 are constantly exposed to air pollutants, such as car exhaust and coal plant fumes, are 8 and 17%, 9 and 14% more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, respectively, compared to people who live in areas with less polluted air.
The researchers recommended that air pollutants that increase the risk of depression and anxiety include “car exhaust and coal plant fumes,” according to CNN.
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During the study period, during which the research team examined the records of 390,000 people in the United Kingdom, 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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