A new study has examined how indoor air pollution caused by candle smoke, especially in poorly ventilated environments, impacts brain functions.
اضافة اعلانThe research team from the University of Birmingham conducted an experiment involving 26 participants. They were placed in a room with a recently extinguished candle for an hour, then in another room with clean air for the same duration on a different day. The participants underwent tests before and after exposure to both environments to measure the impact of indoor air pollution on mental performance.
The results showed that individuals who inhaled air polluted by candle smoke performed worse on selective attention tests. Their ability to focus on a particular image while ignoring distractions decreased compared to their performance after exposure to clean air.
The study also found that participants who inhaled polluted air had more difficulty identifying facial expressions (whether happy or fearful) compared to those who inhaled clean air.
Dr. Thomas Vaherty, a co-author of the study, explained: "Even short-term exposure to air pollution can have negative effects on brain functions essential for daily activities, highlighting the importance of well-ventilating rooms, especially after extinguishing candles."
Researchers believe that pollution may affect the brain by causing inflammation in the body or by allowing pollution particles to enter the bloodstream through the lungs and bypass the blood-brain barrier, potentially leading to long-term effects on cognitive functions.
