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Air pollution, white matter microstructure, and brain volumes: Periods of susceptibility from pregnancy to preadolescence

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A study of over 3,500 children found that exposure to air pollution — including nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter — during pregnancy and early childhood is linked to differences in brain development measurable by MRI scans at ages 9–12. The research identified conception through age 5 as particularly sensitive periods, during which higher pollution levels were associated with less organized white matter and changes in certain brain region volumes. These findings suggest that reducing air pollution exposure during pregnancy and early childhood may be important for healthy brain development.

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This study investigated periods of susceptibility to air pollution exposure (NO2, PM2.5, PM2.5absorbance) from conception to age 8.5 years in relation to white matter microstructure and brain volumes in 3,515 preadolescents aged 9-12 years from the Generation R Study in Rotterdam. Using distributed lag non-linear modeling, the researchers found that exposure during conception through age 5 years was associated with lower fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity, while PM2.5 exposure between 4 months and 1.8 years was associated with larger putamen volume. The findings suggest early life periods including pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood are particularly susceptible windows for air pollution’s effects on brain development.

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