India, Dec. 18 -- As Delhi's Air Quality Index continues to hover in the "hazardous" range, the health consequences are becoming harder to ignore. What was once viewed largely as a threat to the lungs and heart is now increasingly linked to brain health and psychological wellbeing. Emerging evidence suggests that prolonged exposure to polluted air can heighten stress, worsen anxiety and depression, and impair cognitive functions such as memory and focus - raising fresh concerns about the city's long-term mental and neurological health.

Dr Astik Joshi - Child and Adolescent, and Forensic Psychiatrist at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi - spoke to HT Lifestyle about the effects of air pollution on brain and psychological wellbeing...