IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i1p316-d474410.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Air Pollution Is Associated with Poor Cognitive Function in Taiwanese Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Meng-Chieh Chen

    (Department of General Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan)

  • Chen-Feng Wang

    (Institute of Electronics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan)

  • Bo-Cheng Lai

    (Institute of Electronics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan)

  • Sun-Wung Hsieh

    (Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan
    Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan)

  • Szu-Chia Chen

    (Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Shan-Ming Rd., Hsiao-Kang Dist., Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan
    Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan)

  • Chih-Hsing Hung

    (Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
    Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan)

  • Chao-Hung Kuo

    (Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Shan-Ming Rd., Hsiao-Kang Dist., Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan
    Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan)

Abstract

The issue of air pollution is gaining increasing attention worldwide, and mounting evidence has shown an association between air pollution and cognitive decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between air pollutants and cognitive impairment using the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and its sub-domains. In this study, we used data from the Taiwan Biobank combined with detailed daily data on air pollution. Cognitive function was assessed using the MMSE and its five subgroups of cognitive functioning. After multivariable linear regression analysis, a high level of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ), low ozone (O 3 ), high carbon monoxide (CO), high sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), high nitric oxide (NO), high nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), and high nitrogen oxide (NO x ) were significantly associated with low total MMSE scores. Further, high SO 2 and low O 3 were significantly associated with low MMSE G1 scores. Low O 3 , high CO, high SO 2 , high NO 2 , and high NO x were significantly associated with low MMSE G4 scores, and high PM 2.5 , high particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 μm (PM 10 ), high SO 2 , high NO 2 , and high NO x were significantly associated with low MMSE G5 scores. Our results showed that exposure to different air pollutants may lead to general cognitive decline and impairment of specific domains of cognitive functioning, and O 3 may be a protective factor. These findings may be helpful in the development of policies regarding the regulation of air pollution.

Suggested Citation

  • Meng-Chieh Chen & Chen-Feng Wang & Bo-Cheng Lai & Sun-Wung Hsieh & Szu-Chia Chen & Chih-Hsing Hung & Chao-Hung Kuo, 2021. "Air Pollution Is Associated with Poor Cognitive Function in Taiwanese Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-12, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:1:p:316-:d:474410
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/1/316/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/1/316/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Timothy C. Durazzo & Dieter J. Meyerhoff & Sara Jo Nixon, 2010. "Chronic Cigarette Smoking: Implications for Neurocognition and Brain Neurobiology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-32, October.
    2. Jinyoung Shin & Seol-Heui Han & Jaekyung Choi, 2019. "Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Cognitive Impairment in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-13, October.
    3. Yu-Hsuan Lin & Chen-Feng Wang & Hsuan Chiu & Bo-Cheng Lai & Hung-Pin Tu & Pei-Yu Wu & Jiun-Chi Huang & Szu-Chia Chen, 2020. "Air Pollutants Interaction and Gender Difference on Bone Mineral Density T-Score in Taiwanese Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Yuan-Ting C. Lo & Ya-Chi Lu & Yu-Hung Chang & Senyeong Kao & Han-Bin Huang, 2019. "Air Pollution Exposure and Cognitive Function in Taiwanese Older Adults: A Repeated Measurement Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-12, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jane J. Lee & Ji Hyun Kim & Dae Sub Song & Kyoungho Lee, 2022. "Effect of Short- to Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Particulate Matter on Cognitive Function in a Cohort of Middle-Aged and Older Adults: KoGES," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-20, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Edgardo Molina-Sotomayor & Humberto Castillo-Quezada & Cristian Martínez-Salazar & Marcelo González-Orb & Alexis Espinoza-Salinas & Jose Antonio Gonzalez-Jurado, 2020. "Effects of Progressive Resistance Training on Cognition and IGF-1 Levels in Elder Women Who Live in Areas with High Air Pollution," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-17, August.
    2. Seulkee Heo & Honghyok Kim & Sera Kim & Seung-Ah Choe & Garam Byun & Jong-Tae Lee & Michelle L. Bell, 2022. "Associations between Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure and Risk of Osteoporosis-Related Fracture in a Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Jinyoung Shin & Jaekyung Choi, 2021. "Frailty Related to the Exposure to Particulate Matter and Ozone: The Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-12, November.
    4. Mina Chandra & Chandra Bhushan Rai & Neelam Kumari & Vipindeep Kaur Sandhu & Kalpana Chandra & Murali Krishna & Sri Harsha Kota & Kuljeet Singh Anand & Anna Oudin, 2022. "Air Pollution and Cognitive Impairment across the Life Course in Humans: A Systematic Review with Specific Focus on Income Level of Study Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-39, January.
    5. Chiyou Song & Chris Chaeha Lim & Birhan Legese Gurmu & Mingi Kim & Sangoon Lee & Jinsoo Park & Sungroul Kim, 2023. "Comparison of Personal or Indoor PM 2.5 Exposure Level to That of Outdoor: Over Four Seasons in Selected Urban, Industrial, and Rural Areas of South Korea: (K-IOP Study)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-12, August.
    6. Jinyoung Shin & Hyungwoo Lee & Hyeongsu Kim, 2020. "Association between Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Age-Related Cataract: A Nationwide Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Timothy C. Durazzo & Dieter J. Meyerhoff & Donna E. Murray, 2015. "Comparison of Regional Brain Perfusion Levels in Chronically Smoking and Non-Smoking Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Ming Zeng & Jiang Du & Weike Zhang, 2019. "Spatial-Temporal Effects of PM 2.5 on Health Burden: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-23, November.
    9. Yuxiao Gao & Youhua Wang & Tao Rao, 2022. "The Effect of the Dwelling Environment on Rural Elderly Cognition: Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Miguel Ángel Aguilar-Jurado & Pedro Gil-Madrona & Juan Francisco Ortega-Dato & David Zamorano-García, 2019. "Effects of an Educational Glass Recycling Program against Environmental Pollution in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Xiaowei Xu & Daxin Dong & Yilun Wang & Shiying Wang, 2019. "The Impacts of Different Air Pollutants on Domestic and Inbound Tourism in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-15, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:1:p:316-:d:474410. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.