Smoke stacksADIE REED VIA FLICKR
Air pollution has already been implicated in a variety of human diseases, including asthma, heart disease, and stroke. Now, new data in mice suggests that the air-borne particulates we breathe in throughout our lives may also slow learning and cause depression, according to a study published Tuesday (July 5) in Molecular Psychiatry.
“This is a really important study and they did a really nice job,” said Staci Bilbo, a neuroimmunologist at Duke University, who was not involved in the research. “It really is one of the first to show a lifetime exposure effect” of [pollution].
Several studies have shown that normal particulate matter in the air can trigger inflammation that leads to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Previous research has also linked unnaturally high doses of ...
