Bridging indoor air quality and human neurocognitive function

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Poor indoor air is most Canadian's largest environmental risk and is responsible for a variety of acute and chronic health outcomes. Even with the attention on indoor air quality and ventilation with the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor air continues to be persistent problem that is resistant to conventional environmental regulatory approaches. This interdisciplinary project aims to mechanistically link measures of critical cognitive and neural function with indoor pollutant exposures. To date, studying the moment-by-moment effects of indoor air quality on human performance has been limited by pragmatic challenges of integrating the engineering of air quality with the science of human cognition and neuroscience. Critically, prior work has failed to precisely monitor and control pollutant concentrations at the level of respiration. Understanding how pollutant mixtures in inhaled air directly impact physiological and neurobiological responses and indirectly affect cognitive behaviours related to performance and decision making is key to understanding how indoor air quality alters the human experience. Our scientific goal is to create a neurocognitive model of exposure to indoor pollutants that requires a functional understanding of processes occurring in the brain. As part of this research, we will directly test how brain regions critical for attention, learning, memory, and decision-making are modulated by indoor pollutant concentrations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Our current proposal supports this goal with a critical instrumentation: an MRI-compatible exposure/dosing system that will allow for both controlled exposures and precise monitoring of blood gas mixtures. This system along with existing respiratory and biomarker instrumentation will provide a unique characterization of the physiological and neurocognitive impact of indoor air pollutants and how these impacts vary across individuals. Findings from this proposal will make clear the consequences of poor indoor air on Canadian cognitive function and productivity and provide the considerable reward of a strong motivation for regulatory action and investment in improving indoor air. Moreover, simultaneously considering indoor air quality and human cognitive performance will make novel and important theoretical contributions to both psychology and engineering. Findings from the proposed work will motivate the development of neurocognitive models that formalize the links between environment, brain, and behaviour. This proposal will extend indoor air engineering with a new understanding of pollutant concentrations and control approaches in terms of direct impacts on human cognition. The proposed instrumentation will create a unique world-class research environment for establishing this new approach to indoor air and support training a new generation of interdisciplinary HQP who capitalize on integrating research domains to support a healthier future for all Canadians.