Can polluted air drive people to the edge

People exposed to high levels of air pollution are more likely to be depressed / commit suicide: a new study. If average PM 2.5 levels are raised by 10µg/m3 for a prolonged time, odds of being depressed increases 10%. The study by researchers in University College London was published in Environmental Health Perspectives
World Health Organization guidelines recommend fine particulate matter pollution should be kept under 10µg/m3. Globally, PM 2.5 levels range from 114 and 97 in Delhi and Dhaka to 6 in Ottawa and Wellington. The study found a connection between short-term changes in base particulate air pollution (PM 10) exposure and number of suicides. Suicide risks were higher when PM10 levels have been high over a 3-day period than after less polluted periods. Finest particles from polluted air can reach the brain through the bloodstream and nose. This can increase neuroinflammation, damage nerve cells and change stress hormone productions — linked to poor mental health. Cutting global average exposure to PM 2.5 to 25 µg/m3 from 44 can reduce depression risks 15% worldwide.

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