Air Pollution and Impulsive Choice in Aging: Evidence from Delay Discounting

Research overview

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Heightened air pollution exposure is associated with an increased risk for developing neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, yet it is unclear how pollution impacts the aging brain more broadly. Pollution studies in rodents have shown that higher air pollution exposure is associated with impulsive behavior and preference for immediate reward in delay discounting tasks. We examined this relationship in middle aged and older humans, by analyzing associations between residential pollution exposure and time-based reward preferences. One hundred-and-three (103) adults aged 40-80 completed a delay discounting task. We estimated long-term residential exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a prominent air pollutant, using participant address information and satellite pollution data. We found that higher residential PM2.5 exposure was significantly associated with a higher preference for more immediate rewards, even after controlling for demographic factors including income and education. A preference for immediate rewards has been independently associated with higher risk of addictive behaviors, including substance abuse and gambling disorders, indicating that PM2.5 exposure may increase the emergence of these conditions. We discuss these results in detail along with potential underlying biological mechanisms, implications on human behavior, and future research directions.

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