Exposure to air pollution, even over the course of just a few weeks, can impede mental performance, according to a new Columbia University study, published in the journal ‘Nature Aging’. The pollution could include forest fires, smog, second-hand cigarette smoke, charcoal grills, and gridlock traffic. However, these adverse effects were lessened in people taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Despite regulations on emissions, short-term spikes in air pollution remain frequent and have the potential to impair health, including at levels below that usually considered hazardous,” says senior author Andrea Baccarelli. “Taking aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs appears to mitigate these effects, although policy changes to further restrict air pollution are still warranted.”
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