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How air and noise pollution in childhood affects mental health: a 25-year study
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers examined the effects of exposure to noise and air pollution during pregnancy and early childhood on the mental health of people aged 13 to 24. Specifically, the study focused on depression, anxiety, and psychotic episodes.
The results showed that increased exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during pregnancy and childhood was associated with a higher risk of developing depression and psychotic symptoms.
In addition, high levels of noise pollution during childhood and adolescence were associated with increased anxiety levels. This study highlights the significant impact of early exposure to pollution on the mental health of young people.
The study, titled "Early life exposure to air pollution and noise and mental health from adolescence to adulthood," highlights the importance of the issue.
The aim of this study was to address existing gaps by using high-resolution pollution data linked to a longitudinal cohort study, focusing on depression, anxiety and psychotic experiences, to improve understanding of how early life pollution exposure affects mental health from adolescence to adulthood.
To collect air pollution data, ELAPSE models and UK Government noise pollution maps were used to collect high-resolution data on air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and PM2.5.
The study included 9,065 participants with a mean age of 24.5 years at follow-up, 51.4% of whom were women and 95.8% of whom were white.
Mental health data showed that 19.5% of participants reported psychotic episodes, 11.4% reported depression, and 9.7% reported anxiety.
Higher PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy and childhood was associated with increased odds of psychotic experiences. PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy was also associated with higher levels of depression.
On the other hand, exposure to noise pollution during childhood and adolescence was associated with higher anxiety.
The results highlight the importance of early life exposure to pollution on mental health, suggesting that interventions to reduce noise and air pollution may improve young people's mental health. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings.
In this longitudinal cohort study spanning approximately 25 years, exposure to PM2.5 in early life, during pregnancy and childhood, was associated with increased psychotic experiences and depression.
Furthermore, noise pollution in childhood and adolescence was associated with increased anxiety. These associations remained significant after controlling for multiple potential confounders, highlighting the importance of early environmental exposures on mental health.
Compared with previous studies, this study highlights the particularly harmful effects of air pollution during the prenatal and early childhood periods on mental health, in contrast to the findings associated with adult exposure.
The study also aligns with existing evidence on the impact of noise pollution on anxiety, highlighting the role of stress and sleep disturbances.