Pollution's Toll on the Brain

[HuckleB]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=pollutions-toll-on-the-brain

"In these days of hybrid cars and carbon credits, it is common knowledge that substances exhaled by autos and coal plants are harmful to our respiratory system. What may be surprising is the degree to which they may harm the brain—in some instances, as much as exposure to lead. A recent string of studies from all over the world suggests that common air pollutants such as black carbon, particulate matter and ozone can negatively affect vocabulary, reaction times and even overall intelligence.

The most recent of these studies found that New York City five-year-olds who were exposed to higher levels of urban air pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) while in the womb exhibited an IQ four points lower than those subjected to less PAH. Alarmingly, “the drop was similar to that seen in exposure to low levels of lead,” says epidemiologist Frederica Perera, director of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environ mental Health and head author of the study, in which mothers wore personal air monitors during their pregnancy. The IQ change was enough of a dip to affect school per formance and scores on standardized tests.

..."


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I certainly need to look into these studies further, but from this report it does make me wonder why some obsess so much on vaccinations while spending so little time on other issues of concern.

[niyad]

1. seriously, does this come as a surprise to anyone?

[Dreamer Tatum]

2. But cigarette smoke, as we all know, is completely and utterly benign.

Why, it would be foolish to include cigarette smoke in the definition of pollution.

[LeftishBrit]

3. A serious problem.