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Academic and Psychosocial Impact of Air Pollution on Children

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Pediatric Neurotoxicology

Part of the book series: Specialty Topics in Pediatric Neuropsychology ((STPN))

Abstract

Early life exposure to air pollution is a pressing public health concern due to well-known respiratory effects and the increasing weight of evidence demonstrating the negative consequences on the developing brain. Air pollution is composed of aerosols and particles produced by vehicle emissions, energy production, and manufacturing and other combustion processes. Fine and ultrafine particles, which contain adsorbed metals and toxic compounds, have the ability to reach the brain to cause damage, as well as generate systemic oxidative stress. Collectively, this chapter highlights current epidemiological and mechanistic studies linking childhood air pollution exposure to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, including intellectual, academic, neuropsychological, and behavioral functioning changes. In summary, the accumulating evidence suggests a causative relationship and regulations for prevention should be considered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA

    Natalie M. Johnson Ph.D., Genny Carrillo M.D., Sc.D., M.P.H., M.S.P.H. & Ranjana K. Mehta Ph.D., M.S.

  2. Faculty Member of the Texas A&M Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, College Station, TX, USA

    Natalie M. Johnson Ph.D.

  3. Faculty of the Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, College Station, TX, USA

    Ranjana K. Mehta Ph.D., M.S.

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  1. Natalie M. Johnson Ph.D.
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  2. Genny Carrillo M.D., Sc.D., M.P.H., M.S.P.H.
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  3. Ranjana K. Mehta Ph.D., M.S.
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Correspondence to Natalie M. Johnson Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

    Cynthia A. Riccio

  2. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    Jeremy R. Sullivan

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Johnson, N.M., Carrillo, G., Mehta, R.K. (2016). Academic and Psychosocial Impact of Air Pollution on Children. In: Riccio, C., Sullivan, J. (eds) Pediatric Neurotoxicology. Specialty Topics in Pediatric Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32358-9_9

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