How does air pollution impact your brain?(neurofrontiers.blog)
neurofrontiers.blog
How does air pollution impact your brain?
https://neurofrontiers.blog/how-does-air-pollution-impact-your-brain/
34 comments
Buying a multistage HEPA purifier is perfectly fine, but first one must get and use an independent air quality meter to measure air quality. This will help one understand which purifiers are helping and which aren't, also how much they're helping. It usually takes several purifiers, including at the source of air entry, to effectively lower the PM levels to very low numbers. Also, the filters must be replaced routinely.
Yep, MERV13 or MERV14 is more than enough if all you're worried about is dust, pollen and smoke.
Because it's not as fine of a filter, far less air pressure is required to filter the air. This results in much, much quieter purifiers.
The endgame of this sort of goal is PC case fans. They've been optimized for decades now to squeeze every last bit of airflow for less and less noise, and they last for a couple decades or more.
Because it's not as fine of a filter, far less air pressure is required to filter the air. This results in much, much quieter purifiers.
The endgame of this sort of goal is PC case fans. They've been optimized for decades now to squeeze every last bit of airflow for less and less noise, and they last for a couple decades or more.
Is it me or is the link only opening as JSON?
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Same on first visit, but loaded fine after reload.
I snagged a really nice levoit purifier during the wildfires, along with a PM2.5/10 sensor to verify its operation. Works great, even when the filter is "up" it still reduces by 95%~. I can verify this is functioning by turning it off and frying with the windows shut.
The filter lives in my bedroom where I figure it's doing the most good by giving me cleaner air when I'm sleeping. (maybe 1/3 of my life, so cheap investment in PM reduction!)
The filter lives in my bedroom where I figure it's doing the most good by giving me cleaner air when I'm sleeping. (maybe 1/3 of my life, so cheap investment in PM reduction!)
I strongly suggest getting an independent air quality meter that shows actual numbers. Speaking generally, the meters integrated in the purifiers are not trustable.
I am surprised they did not mention tetraethyl lead that use to be a gasoline additive eventually phased out in the mid 70s.
It's still present in a lot of avgas! (Fuel for airplanes) Obviously much less impactful than being surrounded by lead-spewing cars, we haven't totally stopped lead-spewing generally yet.
It would be interesting to know how much leaded avgas specifically affects people. Clearly most of it is emitted high up in the atmosphere but there's still a lot of idling and taxiing around airports...
It would be interesting to know how much leaded avgas specifically affects people. Clearly most of it is emitted high up in the atmosphere but there's still a lot of idling and taxiing around airports...
The smell gets almost unbearable inside the plane as it sits on the tarmac.
Elevated lead levels are found in the blood of airfield employees. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2012-0115-3186.pd...
That was in 2012, I'm sure things have changed a bit in aviation since then.
Elevated lead levels are found in the blood of airfield employees. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2012-0115-3186.pd...
That was in 2012, I'm sure things have changed a bit in aviation since then.
It can't be good that aircraft fly overhead every minute or two.
5th paragraph:
To make things even messier, heavy metals like lead and mercury can also be airborne and have been linked to harmful effects on the brain. For simplicity, we’ll talk about all of these under the same umbrella of air pollution, because they all contribute to negative health outcomes, including effects on the brain.
To make things even messier, heavy metals like lead and mercury can also be airborne and have been linked to harmful effects on the brain. For simplicity, we’ll talk about all of these under the same umbrella of air pollution, because they all contribute to negative health outcomes, including effects on the brain.
The dumbest neighbor I once had used to burn wood daily for fun as a social activity. It led to significant neuro-inflammation and depression which caused damage and were difficult to undo. Ultimately I had to move, but the damage can stick with you.
today in the mediterainian grocery store they had
"smog balls" candy, novlty product that has all kind of "warnings" about toxic waste on the package
so it realy looks like it is now impossible to tell just how pollution is/has effected the way we think, as where and how could we get a clear, clear baseline, and who cares anyway, it is guaranteed to get worse(long term average) everywhere on an continious ongoing basis, and the rest is pressure from nimby groups to relocate local sources, elsewhere, where perhaps it rains crap on there food
so it realy looks like it is now impossible to tell just how pollution is/has effected the way we think, as where and how could we get a clear, clear baseline, and who cares anyway, it is guaranteed to get worse(long term average) everywhere on an continious ongoing basis, and the rest is pressure from nimby groups to relocate local sources, elsewhere, where perhaps it rains crap on there food
>it is guaranteed to get worse(long term average) everywhere on an continious ongoing basis
History shows otherwise.
History shows otherwise.
N95 is a low bar. P95 with a carbon layer, e.g. 3M 8577, is much better. Remember to wear it well.
In addition to exhaust and brake and environment fumes, the off-gassing from plastics, adhesives, foam, flame retardants of a new car (new car smell) gives off lots of VOCs. Essentially you hot box yourself when you drive. Big ouch
When I lived in New York it was jarring to see how clogged my hepa filter would be with black particulate every three months.
No way it's good to be inhaling any of that - break dust and all.
No way it's good to be inhaling any of that - break dust and all.
The filter I have at my window turns black in a single month! I have to end up replacing it almost every month.
Could the impact of polluted air on children's brain development be one of the reasons why today's children are losing motivation to learn?
I'm personally betting, that they simply have easier access to more information, comparing to me at the same age.
When I started Uni, the "A diploma will guarantee you great job opportunities" mantra was unshakeable.
Now I think, the pendulum swung so hard in the other direction, that kids of same age have tons of refuttals at their disposal. It must take a lot more work, from parents, to instill and motivate what was once seen as a good career starter.
When I started Uni, the "A diploma will guarantee you great job opportunities" mantra was unshakeable.
Now I think, the pendulum swung so hard in the other direction, that kids of same age have tons of refuttals at their disposal. It must take a lot more work, from parents, to instill and motivate what was once seen as a good career starter.
It's not enough to explain the problem, IMO. And it's a problem that is worse in some population segments than others. Even in poor countries.
The mechanisms that separate more from less affected segments go back one and more generations, which is why it's not harder for parents to keep their kids on track despite "more stuff" but a lot of parents have it harder because their own brains/organisms are more affected than those of others.
And "some take more care of themselves than others" loops right back into my argument, which is so damn annoying.
It's taken me a great big freaking while to "rewire what fires together", including motivation and attention and I've looked at so many angles, while so many more and important ones require a bio-chem lab, an fMRI and PhD level knowledge in Molecular Bio-Tech.
Anyone wanna sponsor some of it :D? I'm serious, but among the elderly (37).
The mechanisms that separate more from less affected segments go back one and more generations, which is why it's not harder for parents to keep their kids on track despite "more stuff" but a lot of parents have it harder because their own brains/organisms are more affected than those of others.
And "some take more care of themselves than others" loops right back into my argument, which is so damn annoying.
It's taken me a great big freaking while to "rewire what fires together", including motivation and attention and I've looked at so many angles, while so many more and important ones require a bio-chem lab, an fMRI and PhD level knowledge in Molecular Bio-Tech.
Anyone wanna sponsor some of it :D? I'm serious, but among the elderly (37).
Please email me regarding your findings and potential research at w9093357<at>gmail.com
In developed nations we are past the peak of air pollution so kids are breathing cleaner air:
https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/peak-pollution
https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/peak-pollution
[deleted]
look at any connections to the thyroid gland, down and upstream.
Poor breathing = less NO, less oxygen → potential stress on thyroid metabolism (and almost any other metabolism).
NO is nitric oxide: the paranasal sinuses are a major source of NO gas.
And NO gas has antimicrobial effects (helps sterilize inhaled air), acts as a vasodilator (helps regulate blood flow and oxygen delivery), and enhances oxygen uptake in the lungs.
Poor breathing = less NO, less oxygen → potential stress on thyroid metabolism (and almost any other metabolism).
NO is nitric oxide: the paranasal sinuses are a major source of NO gas.
And NO gas has antimicrobial effects (helps sterilize inhaled air), acts as a vasodilator (helps regulate blood flow and oxygen delivery), and enhances oxygen uptake in the lungs.
[deleted]
By this logic... shouldn't I have lost a IQ point to smoking ?!
What says you didn't? Smoking is associated with worse IQ development according to this study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S00223...
Oh, I guess my tone was wrong. I didn't mean to imply it wasn't the case. It's just that it clicked for me than smoking was... literally air pollution.
not just brain is badly impacted by smoking, but everything else: skin, teeth, lungs, heart, vision, hormones, sleep, immunity, longevity, ..
Nope. Not necessarily.
a) fuck IQ. But since you are using it as a benchmark (here, at least). What is your IQ? How did you gain most of it?
b) How much are you smoking? Are you getting sub-level espresso effects from nicotine? (If you don't drink coffee, got anything to compare it with?)
c) How's your breathing? How often are you sick(ly)?
d) Where do you see yourself under the Bell curve? Professionally and or any other way you might believe is relevant.
Just think high frequency, max amplitude bell curves under bell curves. And then ... yeah, who says you didn't?
a) fuck IQ. But since you are using it as a benchmark (here, at least). What is your IQ? How did you gain most of it?
b) How much are you smoking? Are you getting sub-level espresso effects from nicotine? (If you don't drink coffee, got anything to compare it with?)
c) How's your breathing? How often are you sick(ly)?
d) Where do you see yourself under the Bell curve? Professionally and or any other way you might believe is relevant.
Just think high frequency, max amplitude bell curves under bell curves. And then ... yeah, who says you didn't?
a) I think I have a (a bit under?)average IQ but I have no idea. I have done ok in school but I have always needed more time, I am pretty slow. My chess ELO is between 1350-1450 but I learned the moves when I was 8 and started playing casually everyday for 3 years now.
b) 1 cigarette a day or none depending on the period. But rises significantly when drinking and partying
c) I am in good health and overheating is generally a problem that arises sooner that breath issues when exercising Almost never sick. I get between 0 to 2 illnesses a year depending on how much I find myself with lots of people in a room
d) Hard to tell. I feel smarter than a lot of people but I only feel it's because I am much more curious. On the other hand, I am pretty slow. I have self-confidence/laziness issues that prevent me to actually look for a dev job.
Started smoking at 19, first occasionally, then regularly, now occasionally again What do you say, doc ?
b) 1 cigarette a day or none depending on the period. But rises significantly when drinking and partying
c) I am in good health and overheating is generally a problem that arises sooner that breath issues when exercising Almost never sick. I get between 0 to 2 illnesses a year depending on how much I find myself with lots of people in a room
d) Hard to tell. I feel smarter than a lot of people but I only feel it's because I am much more curious. On the other hand, I am pretty slow. I have self-confidence/laziness issues that prevent me to actually look for a dev job.
Started smoking at 19, first occasionally, then regularly, now occasionally again What do you say, doc ?
Well, considering you are telling the truth:
a) you never trained your IQ using methods designed to increase IQ, meaning your self-assessed avg IQ would increase significantly within 150 hours of IQ practice
b) 1 cigarette is irrelevant, which makes c) irrelevant in context.
d) It's common to feel smarter than the rest. Especially if you surround yourself with people who tend to keep their intelligence back for the sake of recreation and fun OR they never really tried for reasons.
Chess is cool, ELO 1350 - 1450 after 3 years of regular playing is also cool and shows that chess is something where you actually are trying, pointing at the fact that your self-confidence issues are merely the result of lack of practice aka consistent increases of mastery in subjects you care for (or want to care for).
Bottom line: You (most likely, > 0.97) did not lose any IQ points due to smoking. :D
a) you never trained your IQ using methods designed to increase IQ, meaning your self-assessed avg IQ would increase significantly within 150 hours of IQ practice
b) 1 cigarette is irrelevant, which makes c) irrelevant in context.
d) It's common to feel smarter than the rest. Especially if you surround yourself with people who tend to keep their intelligence back for the sake of recreation and fun OR they never really tried for reasons.
Chess is cool, ELO 1350 - 1450 after 3 years of regular playing is also cool and shows that chess is something where you actually are trying, pointing at the fact that your self-confidence issues are merely the result of lack of practice aka consistent increases of mastery in subjects you care for (or want to care for).
Bottom line: You (most likely, > 0.97) did not lose any IQ points due to smoking. :D
Look for MERV and CADR ratings for filters. Then spend an afternoon building yourself a CR box with a box fan, or a narrower one with some computer fans. It'll work better than most commercial purifiers.