Environmental pollution is widely recognised as a major driver of physical health problems such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Increasingly, scientific evidence suggests that pollution may also affect mental health and brain function.
A recent briefing from the European Environment Agency (EEA) reviews the current scientific evidence linking environmental exposures, including air pollution and environmental noise, to mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. While mental health is influenced by many factors, from genetics to social conditions, environmental exposures are increasingly recognised as part of this complex picture.
Understanding these interactions is central to the exposomic approach, which examines how the totality of environmental exposures throughout life influences health.
Environmental pollution and mental health: what the evidence shows
The EEA briefing synthesises recent research exploring how environmental exposures may affect mental wellbeing.
Air pollution
Long-term exposure to poor air quality, particularly fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), has been associated with a higher prevalence of depression and an increased risk of developing mental health disorders.
Exposure during critical stages of development, such as pregnancy, childhood and adolescence, may be especially important. Studies suggest that air pollution during these periods can affect brain development and potentially contribute to later mental health problems. Short-term increases in air pollution have also been linked to worsening symptoms in people with conditions such as schizophrenia.
Environmental noise
Transportation noise from road traffic, railways, and aircraft is another environmental stressor that can affect mental well-being. Research indicates that higher levels of environmental noise are associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety.
One of the key pathways may be sleep disturbance and chronic stress. Persistent noise exposure can disrupt sleep patterns and activate stress responses in the body, which over time, may contribute to poorer mental health outcomes.
An exposomic perspective on environmental health
Although ENACT does not directly study mental health, these findings highlight the broader health impacts of environmental exposures and reinforce the importance of studying them through an exposomic perspective. By analysing how multiple environmental factors, such as air pollution, noise, light, and other urban stressors, interact across the lifespan, researchers can better understand how these combined exposures influence health.
Projects like ENACT aim to capture this complexity by monitoring environmental exposures and their links with health outcomes in real-life settings. Evidence such as that highlighted by the EEA also points to opportunities for action: reducing pollution levels and improving access to healthy environments, including green and blue spaces, can support both physical and mental wellbeing while contributing to healthier cities overall.