21:47 / 07.02.2025

Air pollution has a negative effect on attention and the ability to understand emotions

According to new research conducted by the Universities of Birmingham and Manchester, even short-term exposure to polluted air can negatively affect a person's ability to concentrate and understand emotions. This can also affect everyday activities, such as going to the store, according to MedicalXpress.

Research process and results

Participants were exposed to high concentrations of pollutants, similar to candle smoke. They took cognitive tests before and four hours after breathing polluted air. The study aimed to assess functions such as:

Working memory,
Selective attention,
Emotional recognition,
Psychomotor speed,
Attentional stability.

It is known that polluted air negatively affects selective attention and the ability to understand emotions, but does not affect working memory. This indicates that some functions of the brain are more resistant to air pollution.

The importance of cognitive functions

Cognitive functions play an important role in human life. Among them:

Selective attention is important for making decisions. For example, it is used to select the right products in the supermarket and prevent over-buying.
Working memory is needed to store temporary information. It helps to plan workdays or communicate with several people at once.
Socio-emotional awareness refers to a person’s ability to understand their own emotions and those around them. This is important for shaping appropriate behavior in social relationships.

Air pollution and its impact on health

Air pollution poses a significant threat to human health. It has been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

The most dangerous pollutant is currently PM2.5. In 2015, 4.2 million deaths were recorded. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that PM2.5 concentrations should not exceed