Greenness modifies the association between ambient air pollution and cognitive function in Australian adolescents, but not in mid-life adults

Feb 23, 2023Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)

Green spaces may change how air pollution relates to thinking skills in Australian teens but not in middle-aged adults

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Abstract

Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO) predicted poorer cognitive function in 6220 adolescents and 2623 mid-life adults.

An increase in nitrogen dioxide was associated with 19-24% higher odds of poorer executive function in adolescents.
High nitrogen dioxide predicted poorer cognitive function outcomes in mid-life adults across all cognitive measures.
High particulate matter was linked to poorer attention in mid-life adults but did not show consistent associations with other cognitive outcomes.
Interactions between residential greenness and air pollution were observed in adolescents, indicating a potential modifying effect on cognitive function.
Little evidence was found for associations between residential greenness and cognitive function in either adolescents or adults.

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UNLABELLED: Exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with reduced cognitive function in childhood and later life, with too few mid-life studies to draw conclusions. In contrast, residential greenness has been associated with enhanced cognitive function throughout the lifecourse. Here we examine the extent to which (1) ambient air pollution and residential greenness predict later cognitive function in adolescence and mid-life, and (2) greenness modifies air pollution-cognitive function associations.

PARTICIPANTS: 6220 adolescents (51% male) and 2623 mid-life adults (96% mothers) from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.

MEASURES: Exposures: Annual average particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO) and greenness (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) for residential addresses from validated land-use regression models over a 10-13-year period. 2.5 2

OUTCOMES: Cognitive function from CogState tests of attention, working memory and executive function, dichotomised into poorer (worst quartile) versus not poor.

ANALYSES: Adjusted mixed-effects generalised linear models with residential greenness assessed as an effect modifier (high vs. low divided at median). The annual mean for PMand NOacross exposure windows was 6.3-6.8 μg/m, and 5.5-7.1 ppb, respectively. For adolescents, an IQR increment of NOwas associated with 19-24% increased odds of having poorer executive function across all time windows, while associations weren't observed between air pollution and other outcomes. For adults, high NOpredicted poorer cognitive function across all outcomes, while high PMpredicted poorer attention only. There was little evidence of associations between greenness and cognitive function in adjusted models for both generations. Interactions were found between residential greenness, air pollutants and cognitive function in adolescents, but not adults. The magnitude of effects was similar across generations and exposure windows. Findings highlight the potential benefits of cognitive health associated with the regulation of air pollution and urban planning strategies for increasing green spaces and vegetation. 2.5 2 2 2 2.5 3

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Greenness modifies the association between ambient air pollution and cognitive function in Australian adolescents, but not in mid-life adults

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