Abstract

Background:

Only a limited number of neuroimaging studies have explored the effects of ambient air pollution in adults. The prior studies have investigated only cortical volume, and they have reported mixed findings, particularly for gray matter. Furthermore, the association between nitrogen dioxide (${\mathrm{NO}}_2$) and neuroimaging markers has been little studied in adults.

Objectives:

We investigated the association between long-term exposure to air pollutants (${\mathrm{NO}}_2$, particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameters of $\le 10\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ (PM10) and $\le 2.5\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ (PM2.5), and neuroimaging markers.

Methods:

The study included 427 men and 530 women dwelling in four cities in the Republic of Korea. Long-term concentrations of PM10, ${\mathrm{NO}}_2$, and PM2.5 at residential addresses were estimated. Neuroimaging markers (cortical thickness and subcortical volume) were obtained from brain magnetic resonance images. A generalized linear model was used, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results:

A $10\text{-}{\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{m}}^3$ increase in PM10 was associated with reduced thicknesses in the frontal [$–0.02\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.03$, $–0.01$)] and temporal lobes [$–0.06\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.07$, $–0.04$)]. A $10\text{-}{\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{g}/\mathrm{m}}^3$ increase in PM2.5 was associated with a thinner temporal cortex [$–0.18\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.27$, $–0.08$)]. A 10-ppb increase in ${\mathrm{NO}}_2$ was associated with reduced thicknesses in the global [$–0.01\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.01$, 0.00)], frontal [$–0.02\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.03$, $–0.01$)], parietal [$–0.02\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.03$, $–0.01$)], temporal [$–0.04\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.05$, $–0.03$)], and insular lobes [$–0.01\mathrm{mm}$ (95% CI: $–0.02$, 0.00)]. The air pollutants were also associated with increased thicknesses in the occipital and cingulate lobes. Subcortical structures associated with the air pollutants included the thalamus, caudate, pallidum, hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens.

Discussion:

The findings suggest that long-term exposure to high ambient air pollution may lead to cortical thinning and reduced subcortical volume in adults. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7133

中文翻译：

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韩国成年人的长期环境空气污染暴露和脑成像标记：环境污染引起的神经效应（EPINEF）研究

摘要

背景：

仅有限数量的神经影像研究探索了成人环境空气污染的影响。先前的研究仅调查皮质体积，并且他们报告了混合的发现，尤其是对于灰质。此外，二氧化氮（${\mathrm{没有}}_2$）和神经影像标记物在成人中的研究很少。

目标：

我们调查了长期暴露于空气污染物之间的关联（${\mathrm{没有}}_2$，空气动力学直径为 $\le 10\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{米}$ （PM10）和 $\le 2.5\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{米}$ （PM2.5）和神经影像标记物。

方法：

该研究包括大韩民国四个城市的427名男性和530名女性。长期浓度的PM10${\mathrm{没有}}_2$，并估算了住宅地址的PM2.5。从脑磁共振图像中获得了神经影像标记（皮层厚度和皮层下体积）。使用了广义线性模型，针对潜在的混杂因素进行了调整。

结果：

一种 $10\text{--}{\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{G}/\mathrm{米}}^3$ PM10的增加与额叶厚度的减少有关[$–0.02\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.03$， $–0.01$）]和颞叶[$–0.06\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.07$， $–0.04$）]。一种$10\text{--}{\mathrm{\mu }\mathrm{G}/\mathrm{米}}^3$ PM2.5的增加与颞皮质变薄有关[$–0.18\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.27$， $–0.08$）]。增加10 ppb${\mathrm{没有}}_2$ 与整体厚度的减少有关[$–0.01\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.01$，0.00）]，正面[$–0.02\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.03$， $–0.01$）]，顶[$–0.02\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.03$， $–0.01$）]，时间[$–0.04\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.05$， $–0.03$）]和岛屿小叶[$–0.01\mathrm{毫米}$ （95％CI： $–0.02$，0.00）]。空气污染物还与枕叶和扣带状叶的厚度增加有关。与空气污染物相关的皮层下结构包括丘脑，尾状，苍白球，海马，杏仁核和伏隔核。

讨论：

研究结果表明，长期暴露于高浓度的环境空气污染可能导致成年人的皮质变薄和皮质下体积减少。https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7133