Researchers are sounding the Alarm: air pollution reduces the intelligence

The air pollution in large cities is a global Problem. Particularly pronounced in the clouds of Exhaust in emerging countries such as China and India, but also in German cities, the limits are exceeded on a regular basis. A study has now investigated for the first time, the effects of air pollution on the intellectual skills – with dramatic results.

In dozens of German cities, the EU exceeded the threshold for the irritant gas nitrogen dioxide for years. Highest Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne are charged. Often air help pollution control plans, and individual cities manage well with diesel driving bans. That pollution harms health is known. However, the thinking suffers from assets?

The implications are “huge,” like a Team of international researchers found. For their study, which was published in the U.S. journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”, evaluated, the researchers data of 20,000 Chinese, some of which were collected between 2010 and 2014. You will see a recognizable intelligence loss caused by air pollution.

Reduction in the levels of education

Accordingly, the language in the order of the Chinese government with the volunteers regularly and mathematics tests. The researchers compared the results with the air pollution at the places of residence of persons. Although they are considered a intelligence loss due to increasing age and other external circumstances, the effect is still enormous.

“Air pollution can reset the level of education Concerned to a year,” said Xi Chen, of the Yale School of Public Health, the British “Guardian”. “But we also know that the effect is just for people over 64 worse and specially for men and low-educated.” For these individuals, the reduction of the level of education corresponds to the same number of years.

Language skills are affected the most

Air pollution is, according to information from international organisations for seven million premature deaths per year, and up to 95 percent of the world’s population live in areas where the air is actually unhealthy. Previous studies had also shown evidence that people with mental illness are particularly vulnerable.

The exact impact of air pollution on the intellectual abilities were able to investigate the researchers, but only now. According to the study, the damage to intelligence is greater, the longer people in the unhealthy environment of life. The language is more affected than mathematical skills and the male brain more vulnerable than the female.

Nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide

It was examined, therefore, the impact of the pollution with nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide in Chinese cities. Derrick Ho from the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, told the “Guardian”, the damage caused by the dirt particles is not a corollary: “they are potentially associated with oxidative Stress, neural inflammation and neuralem decay.”

Meanwhile, the air decreases pollution in China, but the pollution in the country is still three times higher than that of the world health organization recommended limits. “Governments need to take concrete measures to reduce air pollution,” said Ho. “Because of the human capital is the key driver for economic growth also benefits.”