Caution: Choking Hazard –

August 24, 2019 – When looking at the insurance data for 151 million individuals collected between 2003 and 2013 in the United States, researchers found that the rate for bipolar disorder was 27 percent higher for countries in the bottom seventh for air quality when compared with those in the top seventh with the best air quality. A less intense link was found between depression and air pollution.

When the team looked at similar data from over 1.4 million individuals from Denmark they found that the rate of four mental disorders – bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorder, and depression – were higher among people who had greater exposure to air pollution during childhood.  The bottom seventh that experienced the worst air quality had a 29 percent higher chance of developing bipolar disorder, a 148 percent higher chance of developing schizophrenia, a 51 percent higher rate of depression, and a 162 percent increased chance of developing a personality disorder.  Researchers say that there are a few reasons why air pollution could be triggering an increased rate of mental illness. One possible scenario is that air pollution can trigger inflammation in the respiratory tract that can lead to inflammation throughout the body, including the brain.  “While causation cannot be proved, this work suggests substantial morbidity from mental disorders could be avoided with improved air quality,” said Dr. Ioannis Bakolis, an expert in biostatistics from King’s College London.

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