Pragati Parajuli.
As one of the most densely populated and rapidly growing cities in South Asia, Kathmandu has been grappling with severe air pollution issues in recent years. These issues are primarily driven by a combination of vehicular emissions, industrial activities, and biomass burning. While previous research has focused on the physiological health effects of air pollution, the impact on mental health remains understudied, particularly in developing countries like Nepal. This research aims to address this knowledge gap by examining the psychological and neurological implications of prolonged exposure to high levels of air pollution in Kathmandu.
The study will investigate the link between air pollution and mental health factors, utilizing secondary data on the air quality index of Kathmandu. Previous studies have explored the association between exposure to air pollutants, such as PM2.5, NO2, and VOCs, and mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and neurodevelopmental disorders. These studies have found a strong correlation between air pollution and various mental health outcomes. Studies investigating the biological and psychological mechanism of air pollutants has found its effect on oxidative stress, inflammation, altered neurotransmitter function, psychosocial stress, and impaired cognitive performance. Additionally, even an acute exposure to Diesel Exposure (DE) has been shown to cause microglia activation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and to impair adult neurogenesis. Microglial activation is shown to have implications in the brain disease. This paper will also evidence on how certain groups, such as children, the elderly, individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, and socio-economically disadvantaged communities, are disproportionately affected by the adverse mental health effects of air pollution in Kathmandu. E.g., studies in Mexico City have revealed elevated levels of neuroinflammatory markers in the brain of children exposed to high air pollution, as well as cognitive deficits reported hyperactivity in 7-year-old children associated with early life exposure to traffic-related air pollution.
Given the detrimental effects of air pollution, this paper will present a comprehensive literature review on the effects of air pollution in the context of Kathmandu. The air pollutant levels will be acquired based on the AQI index of Kathmandu Valley. This paper aims to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations between researchers, policymakers, public health professionals, and community organizations to develop holistic and sustainable solutions regarding this issue.
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Keywords: AQI, CNS, Psychological effects, Neurological effects, Mental health
Author: Pragati Prajuli
Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
