Air pollution may impair cognitive function

Air pollution may impair cognitive function Researchers explore the impact of the climate crisis on brain health. Share China, Beijing. Credit: Martin Puddy/Getty Images. A joint China-US research team has found that exposure to even short-term air pollution may impair cognitive function. Air pollution is a growing cause of sickness and death globally, with a recent study estimating that it caused an extra 8.8 million premature deaths in 2015, surpassing the 7.2 million caused by tobacco smoking. It has well-established effects on the lungs and the heart - it has been linked with spikes in heart attacks, strokes and asthma…