Psychiatric Effects of Air Pollution

 

[See also: Detoxification: The Concept | Health Effects of Toxins]

1: Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1996 Feb;114(2):227-31. Related
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Psychiatric aspects of air pollution.

Lundberg A.

Psychological and toxic effects of air pollution can lead to
psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and changes in mood,
cognition, and behavior. Increased levels of some air pollutants are
accompanied by an increase in psychiatric admissions and emergency
calls and, in some studies, by changes in behavior and a reduction
in psychological well-being. Numerous toxic pollutants interfere
with the development and adult functioning of the nervous system.
Manifestations are often insidious or delayed, but they can provide
a more sensitive indicator of toxic effects than cancer rates or
mortality data. Other medical effects of air pollution, such as
asthma, can indirectly affect psychological health. The sick
building syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivity are conditions
with toxicologic and psychiatric aspects. Psychosocial stress can
cause symptoms similar to those of organic mental disorders.
Reactions to stress depend on cultural, individual, and situational
variables. We must understand these factors to be able to alleviate
and prevent the consequences of environmental trauma. Expanded
research is recommended in three main areas: (1) how people perceive
and cope with environmental health risks, (2) the effects of air
pollution on behavior and neuropsychological functioning, and (3)
neurotoxicologic evaluation of air pollutants with both behavioral
and in vitro studies.

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PMID: 8637739 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]