Air Pollution Reduces People's Ability To Focus on Everyday Tasks, Study Finds

A person's ability to focus on everyday tasks is affected by short-term exposure to air pollution, a study has found. The Guardian: Researchers analysed data from cognitive tests completed by 26 participants before and after they were exposed either to high levels of particulate matter (PM) using smoke from a candle, or clean air for an hour. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that even brief exposure to high concentrations of PM affected participants' selective attention and emotion recognition -- regardless of whether they breathed normally or just through their mouth.

This can affect an individual's ability to concentrate on tasks, avoid distractions and behave in a socially appropriate way. 'Participants exposed to air pollution were not as good at avoiding the distracting information,' said Dr Thomas Faherty of the University of Birmingham, a co-author of the study. 'So that means in daily life, you could get more distracted by things. Supermarket shopping is a good example... it might mean that you get more distracted by impulse buys when you're walking along supermarket aisles because you're not able to focus on your task goals.' The study also found that participants performed worse on cognitive tests evaluating emotional recognition after being exposed to PM air pollution.

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