Long-term exposure to air pollution associated with lower semantic memory

A new study by researchers at UC Davis Health and Kaiser Permanente found that higher exposure to very small air pollution particles (PM2.5) over a 17-year span was associated with lower semantic memory. Semantic memory acts like the brain's "encyclopedia" for things like facts, words and long-term general knowledge.

Semantic memory is essential for communication, comprehension and navigating everyday life. Our findings suggest that long-term exposure to air pollution doesn't just affect physical health - it may also shape how the brain ages, particularly in ways that matter for independence and quality of life."

Two other measures of cognitive function - executive function and verbal episodic memory - did not show an impact related to the pollution.

The data for the research comes from the Kaiser Permanente Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR). Launched in 2017, the ongoing study aims to identify factors that impact healthy brain aging among Black adults.