Late-life Depression Linked to Long Exposure to Air Pollution

According to a study that was published online on February 10 in JAMA Network Open, there are negative correlations between prolonged exposure to air pollution and an elevated risk for late-life depression. U.S. Medicare enrolees older than 64 years old participated in a population-based longitudinal cohort study carried out by Xinye Qiu, Ph.D., of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. 8,907,422 distinct individuals (mean age after a washout period, 73.7 years) were followed from 2005 to 2016 after a five-year washout period at admission. They contributed to 1,526,690 late-onset depression diagnoses.

Long-term exposure to air pollution, such as fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, has been associated with higher levels of inflammation in the body, which in turn has been linked to an increased risk of depression.

Based on a tri-pollutant model, the researchers discovered that each 5-unit increase in long-term mean exposure to fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone was connected to an adjusted percentage increase in depression risk of 0.91, 0.61, and 2.13 percent, respectively. The researchers noted effect magnitude variability by comorbidity conditions and neighborhood contextual factors among subpopulations. We hope this study can inspire researchers to further consider possible environmental risk factors (such as air pollution and living environment) for the prevention of geriatric depression, to understand the disease better moving forward, and to improve the delivery of mental health care services among older adults,” the authors write.

It’s important for individuals and communities to work towards reducing air pollution and advocating for policies that protect public health. This can include things like supporting clean energy sources, improving public transportation, and promoting sustainable land use practices. By reducing exposure to air pollution, we can help improve mental and physical health outcomes for individuals and communities.

One author is an expert witness for the U.S. Department of Justice in a case involving a Clean Air Act violation.

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