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Study finds air pollution spikes may impair older men’s thinking 

WION Web Team
New Delhi  Updated: May 04, 2021, 04:23 PM IST
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File photo of air pollution. Photograph:(ANI)

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The findings build on growing evidence that exposure to fine particulate matter in the air, largely from road vehicles and industry, is harmful not only to the heart and lungs, but also to delicate neural tissues in the brain

According to a research, the temporary rises in air pollution may impair memory and thinking in older men.  

The scientists found that the men’s cognitive performance fell following rises in air pollution during the month before testing, even when peak levels remained below safety thresholds for toxic air set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and national regulators. 

The findings build on growing evidence that exposure to fine particulate matter in the air, largely from road vehicles and industry, is harmful not only to the heart and lungs, but also to delicate neural tissues in the brain. 

Meanwhile, According to another study, one in 15 lost pregnancies in South Asia is due to air pollution. The polluted air starts choking a baby even before birth. It causes miscarriages and foetal deaths. 

The study says that nearly 350,000 failed pregnancies in South Asia can be attributed to air pollution and out of this, 67 per cent are in rural areas. 

Wuhan virus has caused worldwide deaths, but vaccines are more than a ray of hope. However, another invisible killer is still on the prowl, an old enemy of humankind that is responsible for 1.6 million deaths each year. It has now been established as a key contributor in failed pregnancies. 

According to a new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health, air pollution is leading to numerous stillbirths and miscarriages in South Asia. 

It reveals that nearly 350,000 failed pregnancies in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh can be attributed to poor air quality. 

Poor quality means the presence of PM2.5 particles, which are produced by farming, industrial activity, wood-burning and transport. 

PM2.5 particles are harmful to all human beings but for an unborn baby, they can be lethal. 

The survey indicates that over 34,197 women in South Asia have lost one pregnancy each due to bad air.  

(With input from agencies)