title: Cognitive disorders in children associated with urban vehicular emissions.
abstract: This review introduces recent advances in an emerging research area that is focussed on studying the effect of exposure to vehicular emissions on cognition, with specific attention to children from urban environments. Today, air pollution is a global environmental issue, especially in urban environments, emitting particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the surroundings. The association of exposure to urban air pollution and cognitive disorders in children is a major cause of concern. We review recent findings associated with exposure to air pollutants and explained the potential mechanisms driving oxidative stress in living systems. An attempt has been made to investigate the cognitive effects of air pollutants leading to neurodegeneration, neurodysfunction, attention deficit/hypersensitivity deficiencies and autism in children. Accumulating evidence suggests that urban air pollution may have significant impact on central nervous system (CNS) of the developing brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Pondicherry University, R.V. Nagar, Kalapet, Puducherry 605014, India. Electronic address: rameshnaidu.phy@pondiuni.edu.in.
authors.forename: Ramesh Naidu
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Annavarapu
authors.affiliation: Pondicherry University, R.V. Nagar, Kalapet, Puducherry 605014, India. Electronic address: srujanaaramesh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Srujana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kathi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001335:Vehicle Emissions
keywords: Brain; Cognition; Neurodegeneration; Oxidative stress; Particulate matter; Urban environment; Vehicular emissions