Neuroscience and psychology
Indoor air quality improves cognitive performance
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Ainhoa Pérez
Alumni
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MPH, MSc.
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Exposure to air pollution in homes and other buildings has been associated with negative psychological and health impacts. Inhaling polluting particles contributes to systemic inflammation and can trigger neuroinflammation and neuronal damage. In addition, some studies suggest that it worsens cognitive function, even with acute exposures. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving air quality can reduce systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, which could improve cognitive function.
A recent double-blind crossover trial (Xu et al., 2024) evaluated the impact of reducing indoor air particles on the cognitive performance of college students. More than 160 students participated and were randomly assigned to classrooms equipped with air purifiers to assess the effect of indoor air quality on academic performance. The students took a standardized test on two consecutive weekends, exposing one group to purifiers with active filters and another group to simulated filters. In the next session, the conditions were reversed. At the end of the study, the reduction of airborne particles in classrooms with active purifiers was validated, and perceptions of air quality were collected through a questionnaire.
The results showed that purified air improved the overall academic performance of the students, who obtained higher total exam scores compared to students exposed to the simulated filter, as well as a trend toward better performance in listening comprehension and reading. Most students did not distinguish whether the air had been purified, suggesting that the task blinding was adequate.
In conclusion, this study suggests that improving indoor air quality can improve cognitive performance. This study highlights that short exposures to clean air can have immediate effects, underscoring the potential impact of air quality on cognition and learning. While the effect of poor ventilation on long-term health is well characterized, such an acute effect at the cognitive level may be surprising. However, this study is consistent with the results of systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials of similar interventions that have evaluated mechanical and natural ventilation in different cognitive tasks. Therefore, there is a significant body of evidence to support the effect of this intervention.
A recent double-blind crossover trial (Xu et al., 2024) evaluated the impact of reducing indoor air particles on the cognitive performance of college students. More than 160 students participated and were randomly assigned to classrooms equipped with air purifiers to assess the effect of indoor air quality on academic performance. The students took a standardized test on two consecutive weekends, exposing one group to purifiers with active filters and another group to simulated filters. In the next session, the conditions were reversed. At the end of the study, the reduction of airborne particles in classrooms with active purifiers was validated, and perceptions of air quality were collected through a questionnaire.
The results showed that purified air improved the overall academic performance of the students, who obtained higher total exam scores compared to students exposed to the simulated filter, as well as a trend toward better performance in listening comprehension and reading. Most students did not distinguish whether the air had been purified, suggesting that the task blinding was adequate.
In conclusion, this study suggests that improving indoor air quality can improve cognitive performance. This study highlights that short exposures to clean air can have immediate effects, underscoring the potential impact of air quality on cognition and learning. While the effect of poor ventilation on long-term health is well characterized, such an acute effect at the cognitive level may be surprising. However, this study is consistent with the results of systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials of similar interventions that have evaluated mechanical and natural ventilation in different cognitive tasks. Therefore, there is a significant body of evidence to support the effect of this intervention.
#Airquality #indoorpollution #ventilation #cognitiveperformance #mentalhealth
References:
Xu J et al, 2024. Reducing Indoor Particulate Air Pollution Improves Student Test Scores: A Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Study. Environ Sci Technol. 2024 May 14;58(19):8207-8214. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c10372
* The news published on studies do not represent an official position of ICNS, nor a clinical recommendation.
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