India, Dec. 21 -- Physician-scientists at Oregon Health & Science University warn that exposure to air pollution may have serious implications for a child's developing brain.

In a recent study published in the journal Environmental Research, researchers in OHSU's Developmental Brain Imaging Lab found that air pollution is associated with structural changes in the adolescent brain, specifically in the frontal and temporal regions - the areas responsible for executive function, language, mood regulation and socioemotional processing.

While research has established that pollution contributes to various physical health issues like respiratory disorders, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic dysfunction, its effects on neurocognitive health ...