As air quality across Canada continues to fluctuate in response to ongoing wildfires, scientists warn that even brief exposure to smoke or air pollution could harm your brain function.
While it鈥檚 unknown exactly how smoke particles impact the brain, experts tell the Star there is a litany of evidence around its health harms, both in the short-term and years down the line.
鈥淚 have no doubt that wildfire smoke is affecting our brains when it is occurring,鈥 said Sarah Henderson, the scientific director of Environmental Health Services at British Columbia鈥檚 Centre for Disease Control, to the Star.
As carbon emissions continue to climb and the climate warms, wildfires are only expected to grow more prevalent and longer in duration. Experts say now is the time to prepare.
Short-term wildfire smoke exposure and impact on the brain
In the short-term, studies have shown exposure to wildfire smoke generally lowers brain performance, Henderson said. While its impacts may be too subtle to notice yourself, research has found people who breathe in more air pollution consistently perform worse on cognitive tests.
鈥淲e did a study using data from the brain training platform, Lumosity,鈥 said Henderson, . 鈥淲hat we found is when it was smoky, people didn鈥檛 do as well (on the platform). That was particularly true for younger adults 鈥 and it was true for older adults.鈥
Her results are corroborated by numerous other papers, including a that found drops in test performance in regions where wildfire smoke was present. found brain function was still lowered even six to 12 months after the event.
Additionally, a study earlier this year found just two hours of exposure to traffic pollution can impair brain function. Its lead author, Chris Carlsten, told the Star he believes his findings also apply to wildfire smoke, given its similarities in composition.
Anecdotally speaking, Henderson has encountered 鈥渟o many鈥 people asking about their senior parents with dementia, 鈥渨ho seemed more confused on smoky days.鈥
鈥淔or individuals who are already in cognitive decline, they may experience more confusion and more decline on those days when it鈥檚 smoky,鈥 she continued.
Long-term effects of smoke inhalation on the mind
While fewer studies have been done on long-term smoke exposure, Dr. Samantha Green, a physician at Toronto鈥檚 Unity Health and incoming president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, says we can extrapolate from what we already know about air pollution.
鈥淲e know that particulate matter and other components of air pollution can cause long-term neurological harm,鈥 Green said. 鈥淔or example, there鈥檚 growing evidence associating long-term exposure to air pollution and
鈥淭here is also similarly an from long term exposure to air pollution, and ,鈥 Green continued.
These diseases are often associated with seniors, but air pollution harms young children too, Green continued. 鈥, exposure is associated with an increased prevalence of ADHD, lower IQ scores, increased need for academic support and other neurobehavioral harms.鈥
Jeff Brook, an associate professor at the University of Toronto鈥檚 Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, agrees and adds that studies have also shown 鈥渟trong correlations鈥 between air quality and the development of autism.
For example, to a significantly increased risk of autism in children, especially when exposed during the third trimester of pregnancy or early childhood.
Although we鈥檒l likely spend less time exposed to wildfire smoke than general air pollution, Green says, towns could be enveloped in smoke for months at a time during intense fire seasons 鈥 鈥渆nough time to see an effect.鈥 As climate change worsens fires across the globe, Green expects these incidents to become more prevalent.
How to protect yourself from air pollution
The main thing people can do is monitor their local air quality, according to Green. 鈥淩eally pay attention to the air quality health index because it can shift over hours and between municipalities and regions.鈥
If the air quality level is at seven or above, Green advises you to 鈥渘ot go outside and exert yourself,鈥 and to 鈥渒eep the windows closed inside.鈥 It鈥檚 also helpful to invest in an air purifier and place it in the room where you spend the most time 鈥 like a bedroom or office, she said.
If air purifiers are too expensive, Brook says you can always build your own, adding that one of his students did so when they were surveying forest fires earlier in the year.
鈥淚t was $75 to order furnace filters and a fan,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hen she turned it on in the hotel room, it cleaned the air by 90 per cent very quickly.鈥 Here鈥檚 how you can build the design for yourself.
If you have to go out, Henderson advises wearing a fitted respirator or N95 mask: 鈥淚f they are fitted well to your face, they can be very effective for reducing those exposures.鈥
Finally, if you鈥檙e more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, Green says you should consider staying indoors even when air quality dips below seven.
鈥淧eople who are more vulnerable with underlying chronic conditions or pregnant women, young children, the elderly, they should take precautions even when the air quality is in the moderate range.鈥
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