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Exposure to Ambient Air Particles Increases the Risk of Mental Disorder: Findings from a Natural Experiment in Beijing

Author

Listed:
  • Zhen Jia

    (Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100000, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yongjie Wei

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Xiaoqian Li

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Lixin Yang

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Huijie Liu

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Chen Guo

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Lulu Zhang

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Nannan Li

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Shaojuan Guo

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Yan Qian

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

  • Zhigang Li

    (Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment and Environmental Standards Institute, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100000, China)

Abstract

Epidemiology studies indicated that air pollution has been associated with adverse neurological effects in human. Moreover, the secretion of glucocorticoid (GC) affects the mood regulation, and the negative feedback of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors (GR) inhibits the GC secretion. Meanwhile, the over secretion of GC can interfere the immune system and induce neurotoxicity. In the present study, the human test showed that the secretion of the cortisol in plasma was elevated after exposure in heavy air pollution. In the mouse model, we found that breathing the highly polluted air resulted in the negative responses of the mood-related behavioral tests and morphology of hippocampus, as well as the over secretion of GC in plasma, down regulation of GR, and up-regulation of cytokine and chemokine in the hippocampus. When considering the interrelated trends between the hippocampal GR, inflammatory factors, and plasmatic GC, we speculated that PM 2.5 exposure could lead to the increased secretion of GC in plasma by decreasing the expression of GR in hippocampus, which activated the inflammation response, and finally induced neurotoxicity, suggesting that PM 2.5 exposure negatively affects mood regulation. When combined with the results of the human test, it indicated that exposure to ambient air particles increased the risk of mental disorder.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhen Jia & Yongjie Wei & Xiaoqian Li & Lixin Yang & Huijie Liu & Chen Guo & Lulu Zhang & Nannan Li & Shaojuan Guo & Yan Qian & Zhigang Li, 2018. "Exposure to Ambient Air Particles Increases the Risk of Mental Disorder: Findings from a Natural Experiment in Beijing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:1:p:160-:d:127795
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yu Wang & Heming Deng & Sunan Gao & Tongxu Li & Feifei Wang, 2024. "A Fresh Perspective on Examining Population Emotional Well-Being Trends by Internet Search Engine: An Emerging Composite Anxiety and Depression Index," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-12, February.
    2. Yaolin Lin & Jiale Zou & Wei Yang & Chun-Qing Li, 2018. "A Review of Recent Advances in Research on PM 2.5 in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-29, March.

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