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Ambient air pollution and transportation noise : how they affect mental health in older adults

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posted on 2024-09-02, 18:59 authored by Wu JingWu Jing

Whether environmental factors are associated with mental health issues among older adults remains unclear. This doctoral thesis aimed to determine the extent to which air pollution and transportation noise affect mental health in older adults. We used data from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care-Kungsholmen (SNAC-K).

Study I PM2.5 was not linearly associated with faster cognitive decline over 12 years of follow-up. A significantly increased risk of faster cognitive decline was observed for low levels of PM2.5 (<8.6μg/m3) among the oldest-old group (OR 1.81; 95% CI: 1.02–3.22). The existence of cerebrovascular diseases further enlarged the risk.

Study II During follow-up, 15% of cognitively intact participants developed CIND, and 19% of cognitively impaired participants developed dementia. We observed 75%, 8%, and 18% increased risk of CIND onset corresponding to PM2.5, PM10 (both per 1μg/m3), and NOx (per 10μg/m3), respectively. Similarly, a higher hazard of progression from CIND to dementia was observed for exposure to higher levels of air pollution.

Study III Out of a total of 2812 participants, 137 initially depression-free participants were diagnosed with depression during follow-up. Exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 and PM10 (per 1μg/m3) and NOx (per 10μg/m3) were associated with 53% (HR 1.53; 95% CI: 1.22–1.93), 7% (HR 1.07; 95% CI: 0.98–1.18), and 26% (HR 1.26; 95% CI: 1.01–1.58) increased risk of depression, accordingly. Importantly, the hazardous effects of air pollution were attenuated among participants with high social activity.

Study IV A higher level of aircraft noise was associated with a faster annual rate of cognitive decline (β −0.007; 95% CI −0.012 to −0.001) over 16 years of follow-up. Higher levels of railway and aircraft noise exposure were associated with a 25% (HR 1.25; 95% CI 1.01–1.55) and 16% (HR 1.16; 95% CI: 0.91–1.49) higher hazard of developing CIND. However, no association was found between road traffic noise and cognitive outcomes.

Conclusions Long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with an increased risk of faster cognitive decline, cognitive impairment, and its progression to dementia, as well as depression incidence in older adults. Aircraft noise may be associated with worsening global cognition and cognitive impairment. Railway noise was associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. No evidence supported the relationship between road traffic noise and cognitive outcomes. These findings suggest air pollution and transportation noise may be risk factors impacting the mental well-being of older adults.

List of scientific papers

I. Grande G*, Wu J*, Ljungman PL, Stafoggia M, Bellander T, Rizzuto D. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 and cognitive decline: a longitudinal population-based study. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2021 Jan 1;80(2):591–9. *Equal contribution.
https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-200852

II. Wu J, Grande G, Stafoggia M, Ljungman P, Laukka EJ, Eneroth K, Bellander T, Rizzuto D. Air pollution as a risk factor for Cognitive Impairment no Dementia (CIND) and its progression to dementia: A longitudinal study. Environment International. 2022 Feb 1;160:107067.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.107067

III. Wu J, Grande G, Triolo F, Pyko A, Laukka EJ, Sjöberg L, Ljungman P, Eneroth K, Bellander T, Rizzuto D. Air pollution and depression in older adults: Results from a Swedish population-based cohort study. [Submitted]

IV. Wu J, Grande G, Pyko A, Laukka EJ, Pershagen G, Ögren M, Bellander T, Rizzuto D. Long-term Exposure to Transportation Noise in Relation to Global Cognition Decline and Cognitive Impairment: Results from a Swedish Longitudinal Cohort. [Submitted]

History

Defence date

2023-06-15

Department

  • Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society

Publisher/Institution

Karolinska Institutet

Main supervisor

Rizzuto, Debora

Co-supervisors

Bellander, Tom; Ljungman, Petter; Grande, Giulia

Publication year

2023

Thesis type

  • Doctoral thesis

ISBN

978-91-8016-966-0

Number of supporting papers

4

Language

  • eng

Original publication date

2023-05-17

Author name in thesis

Wu, Jing

Original department name

Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society

Place of publication

Stockholm

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