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Prenatal Ozone Exposure and Reduced Brain Volume in Infants: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.
Qingqing Tao1, Lukun Tang2,3, Xinyu Jiang1
1Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|April 15, 2026
Summary
Prenatal exposure to ozone (O3) pollution is linked to reduced infant brain volume, including gray and white matter. This finding highlights the need for stricter air quality standards to protect fetal neurodevelopment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Ozone (O3) pollution is a growing environmental concern linked to dementia.
- Limited evidence exists on prenatal O3 exposure's impact on infant brain morphology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal ozone exposure and brain volume in infants.
- To assess the impact of O3 on various brain structures and metrics in early life.
Main Methods:
- Nationwide population-based study of 3294 infants (0-1 year) using MRI data.
- Estimated prenatal O3 exposure via geocoded addresses and 1 km x 1 km air pollution datasets.
- Analyzed associations using linear mixed-effects models and dual-pollutant models.
Main Results:
- Increased prenatal O3 exposure correlated with decreased total brain volume, gray matter, white matter, cerebral blood volume, and cerebrospinal fluid.
- Each 10 μg/m³ rise in O3 was associated with approximately 1.1% reduction in these brain metrics.
- No significant association found with apparent diffusion coefficient; effects were direct, not mediated by birth weight.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal ozone exposure adversely affects infant brain morphological development.
- Findings emphasize the critical need for enhanced air quality regulations to safeguard fetal neurodevelopment.
- Early-life exposure to air pollutants poses a significant risk to brain development.
