The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance

This paper examines the effect of both cumulative and transitory exposures to air pollution for the same individuals over time on cognitive performance by matching a nationally representative longitudinal survey and air quality data in China according to the exact time and geographic locations of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 115; no. 37; p. 9193
Main Authors: Zhang, Xin, Chen, Xi, Zhang, Xiaobo
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 11.09.2018
Subjects:
Air Pollution - adverse effects
Air Pollution - economics
China
Cognition
Environmental Exposure - adverse effects
Environmental Exposure - economics
Humans
Models, Econometric
air pollution
aging
gender difference
cognitive decline
China
ISSN:1091-6490, 1091-6490
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:This paper examines the effect of both cumulative and transitory exposures to air pollution for the same individuals over time on cognitive performance by matching a nationally representative longitudinal survey and air quality data in China according to the exact time and geographic locations of the cognitive tests. We find that long-term exposure to air pollution impedes cognitive performance in verbal and math tests. We provide evidence that the effect of air pollution on verbal tests becomes more pronounced as people age, especially for men and the less educated. The damage on the aging brain by air pollution likely imposes substantial health and economic costs, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly for both running daily errands and making high-stake decisions.
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ISSN:1091-6490
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1809474115