Thursday, September 26, 2024

Psychedelic drug psilocybin changes brain connectivity to treat body dysmorphic disorder

Columbia University researchers uncover how a single dose of "magic mushrooms" changes brain connectivity to alleviate symptoms of the devastating mental illness

Genomic Press

Brain regions predicting symptomatic improvement of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) by psilocybin — image:
Whole brain multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) reveals that seed brain regions including the thalamus [8 -6 8] (yellow), insula [-42 8 -6] (green), inferior parietal lobe (IPL) [-54 -38 38] (red), and ACC [16 34 24] (blue) predicted symptomatic improvement of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) at one week following a single dose of psilocybin. Using these clusters as seed regions, no further regions were identified.
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Credit: Xi Zhu, Columbia University, New York, NY

New York, NY - Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one's physical appearance. Patients with BDD often have distorted self-image, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life. Current therapies have limited efficacy, leaving many sufferers without relief.

A new study led by researchers at Columbia University and published in Psychedelics (Genomic Press, New York, USA) provides hope by revealing how the psychedelic drug psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms," may ~~rewire~~change connectivity of brain circuitry, potentially aiding in the treatment of this debilitating disorder.

In the pilot trial, eight adults with moderate-to-severe BDD that had not responded to standard treatments received a single 25mg oral dose of psilocybin in a supportive setting. Using cutting-edge functional MRI technology, the scientists scanned the participants' brains one day before and one day after the psilocybin session. Sophisticated pattern analysis techniques were then applied to map changes in brain network connectivity and link them to subsequent clinical outcomes.

The results were striking: Just one day after psilocybin administration, the patients exhibited increased connectivity both within a network governing executive functions, and between this network and others involved in processing emotionally salient stimuli and self-referential thinking. Notably, those who showed the greatest strengthening of these neural connections also experienced the most improvement in BDD symptoms one week later.

While preliminary, the findings align with a growing body of evidence indicating that psychedelic compounds like psilocybin can promote mental health by enhancing the brain's capacity for flexibility and integration. By facilitating communication within and between brain networks that are often dysregulated in psychiatric disorders, psilocybin may help restore more adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning.

As the first study of psilocybin in a BDD population, the trial was small and lacked a placebo control. The researchers caution that larger, placebo-controlled studies are needed to verify the efficacy and durability of the treatment. Still, the robust brain-behavior relationships uncovered bode well for the ongoing development of psilocybin therapy.

The peer-reviewed study, "Single-Dose Psilocybin Alters Resting State Functional Networks in Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder," will be published on September 24, 2024, in Psychedelics. It is freely available online at https://pp.genomicpress.com/aop/.

About Psychedelics – Psychedelics: The Journal of Psychedelic Pharmacology (ISSN: 2997-2671) is a peer-reviewed journal published by Genomic Press, New York. The journal is exclusively dedicated to the latest advancements in the realm of psychedelic substances and their potential therapeutic uses. Psychedelics embraces the full spectrum of research, from fundamental investigations to cutting-edge clinical studies and welcomes diverse perspectives and contributions, advancing the understanding of psychedelic compounds.

Contact: Chen Zhang, Columbia University: Chen.Zhang@nyspi.columbia.edu

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Single-Dose Psilocybin Alters Resting State Functional Networks in Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Article Publication Date

24-Sep-2024

COI Statement

Dr. Schneier has received research support from Compass Pathways, Otsuka, Vistagen, and NIMH, royalties from UptoDate, Cambridge University Press, and Guilford Press, and served as consultant to Receptor Life and PureTech. Dr. Hellerstein has received research support from Compass Pathways, Relmada, Intracellular Therapies, Beckley Foundation, serves on the scientific advisory board for Reset Pharmaceuticals and has received royalties from Johns Hopkins University Press and Columbia University Press. Dr. Feusner receives research support from the NIMH, NIBIB, and the Klarman Family Foundation and serves as a consultant to NOCD, Inc. Drs. Wheaton, Zhu, and Ms. Chen and Ms. Gomez have no financial relationships to report. This research was supported by a grant from Compass Pathways PLC, United Kingdom. Compass supplied materials and participated in formulating the outline of the study but had no role in study selection or interpretation of the evidence.

Ancient reef-builders dodged extinction — at least temporarily

Study shows that ancient reef-building stromatoporoids survived the Late Devonian extinction and continued to thrive during the Carboniferous Period

Osaka Metropolitan University

Will modern coral reefs go extinct? The answer is uncertain, but some of their ancient counterparts managed to dodge a bullet — for a while, at least.

Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered that ancient reef-building organisms called stromatoporoids survived the Late Devonian mass extinction event and continued to thrive as major reef-builders long after their presumed extinction. These findings shed light on how life on Earth has responded to past environmental changes, offering valuable insights into the resilience and adaptability of marine ecosystems.

Corals are the most well-known reef-builders today, but reefs have been built by a variety of organisms throughout Earth history. One such group was the stromatoporoids, sponge-like organisms that played a major role in reef-building during the Paleozoic, particularly in the Silurian and Devonian periods (roughly 444 to 359 million years ago).

“Stromatoporoids were thought to have vanished as reef-builders after the Late Devonian extinction,” said Yoichi Ezaki, a professor at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Science and lead author of the study.

The Late Devonian extinction was one of five mass extinction events in Earth history. It significantly affected marine life, causing a decline in the diversity of reef-building organisms. During the Carboniferous (roughly 359 to 299 million years ago), which followed this devastating event, no stromatoporoid reef was known to exist…until now.

Scrutinizing fossils from Carboniferous rocks found in the Akiyoshi Limestone Group of southwest Japan, the research team discovered laminated skeletons with laminae, or layered, and pillar-like structures — typical features of stromatoporoids.

“Contrary to previous beliefs, our findings in Japan show stromatoporoids not only survived but continued to be instrumental in reef construction during the Carboniferous,” said Ezaki. “We feel sure this discovery will rewrite the content of textbooks.”

The Akiyoshi Limestone formed on a seamount in the Panthalassa Ocean through the Mississippian (early Carboniferous) to middle Permian periods. Stromatoporoids, alongside the organism Chaetetes, thrived on the warm shallow-water seamounts of the Panthalassa Ocean, benefiting from conditions such as enhanced ocean circulation, upwelling, and nutrient supply, culminating in elevated carbonate saturation due to ongoing global glaciation.

This suggests that isolated and unique oceanic environments like Akiyoshi may have allowed the survival of these resilient organisms.

“The isolated Akiyoshi seamount might have harbored a unique biological community, potentially forming a ‘Carboniferous Galápagos’ that offers a glimpse into the complex dynamics of ancient marine ecosystems,” said Ezaki.

Intensified global cooling and exposure above sea level eventually took their toll on the stromatoporoids. Still, the continued presence of these reef-building organisms in the late Carboniferous suggests that they adapted to new ecological niches in response to the changing climate.

The study’s findings highlight the potential resilience of certain reef-building organisms in distinctive environments, providing valuable lessons for today’s conservation efforts.

“Understanding how stromatoporoids and other organisms adapted to survive past climatic and environmental upheavals offers crucial insights into how modern reef ecosystems might handle current and future climate changes,” said Ezaki.

The study was published in Geology.

###

About OMU

Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Journal

Geology

DOI

10.1130/G52420.1

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Post-Devonian re-emergence and demise of stromatoporoids as major reef-builders on a Carboniferous Panthalassan seamount

Humbug damselfish use 'motion dazzle' to evade predators

Macquarie University

When thinking of animal camouflage, we typically imagine creatures remaining still, blending seamlessly into their surroundings. But remaining motionless isn’t always practical, and many animals are highly mobile, constantly moving through their environment to graze their food.

New research suggests that high-contrast patterns on animals’ bodies may serve a dual purpose: offering camouflage when stationary, then creating a ‘motion dazzle’ effect when moving, confusing potential predators into misjudging their location – and helping them avoid being eaten.

The study, by Dr Louise Tosetto, Professor Nathan Hart and Dr Laura Ryan from Macquarie University’s School of Natural Sciences and published in PeerJ on 26 September, is the first to show that humbug damselfish – known for their striking black and white stripes – use motion dazzle as a defence strategy.

“Our findings also show that humbug damselfish adapt their behaviour based on their environment,” says Dr Tosetto.

“In their natural habitat, when they encounter backgrounds resembling their own striped patterns, like branching corals, they tend to move closer and reduce their movement. This likely helps them blend in and stay hidden from predators.

“However, when feeding outside the coral colony, where camouflage is less effective, they increase their movement and rely more on the confusing effects of their stripes, known as motion dazzle.”

Methodical study

Humbug damselfish are small, striped coral reef fish that often live in social groups protected by branching corals. While their stripes help camouflage them when still, these fish frequently move to feed, risking predator attacks.

The research team studied how different backgrounds might affect the fish’s ability to confuse predators using motion dazzle, by filming humbugs swimming in tanks against various striped backgrounds, then using computer models to simulate how predators like coral trout would see this movement.

They also used anatomical data from the retinas of humbug damselfish to help understand how clearly the fish might see different striped patterns in their environment.

The team found that when they were against backgrounds where predators would find it hard to see them clearly, humbugs tended to move closer to the background and increase their overall movement, so their own stripes would create confusing motion cues – anti-predator behaviour.

But when the background had clear, wider stripes that predators could easily see, the fish gained two advantages. First, the edges of their bodies became less distinct, making them harder to spot. Second, the combination of their own stripes and the background stripes created confusing motion signals (motion dazzling), so predators couldn’t accurately judge the speed or direction of the humbug fish.

“This suggests that humbugs can see different backgrounds and might then change their behaviour to improve their protection from predators,” Dr Tosetto says.

Senior author Dr Ryan says the findings show that these fish have complex anti-predator strategies.

“This is an essential baseline study that provides new insights into the motion dazzle phenomenon,” says Dr Ryan.

“Future research should investigate how factors like the water’s light-filtering properties and interactions with other damselfish might affect motion dazzle. The humbug damselfish offers a perfect model to explore these important questions.”

Louise Tosetto, Nathan S. Hart and Laura A. Ryan (2024) Dazzling damselfish: investigating motion dazzle as a defence strategy in humbug damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus). Peer J, 25 Sep 2024 DOI 10.7717/peerj.18152

Journal

PeerJ

DOI

10.7717/peerj.18152

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Dazzling damselfish: investigating motion dazzle as a defence strategy in humbug damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus)

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024

Do natural disasters jeopardize women’s reproductive health?

Wiley

In research published in Brain and Behavior, investigators found increased rates of menstrual irregularities in women living in areas affected by the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.

In the study, 309 women of reproductive age living in regions declared as disaster areas completed online forms 9 months after the earthquake. Responses revealed an increase of menstrual irregularities from 14.3% before the earthquake to 44.8% after the earthquake. Risk factors for menstrual irregularities included post-traumatic stress symptoms, chronic diseases, and smoking.

The findings reveal that reproductive health can be significantly affected in the aftermath of natural disasters, and they highlight the importance of addressing mental health in post-disaster interventions to mitigate these effects.

“Traumatic events like earthquakes can disrupt not only physical but also hormonal and psychological balances, which can directly affect women's reproductive health,” said corresponding author Sibel Kiyak, RN, PhD, of Necmettin Erbakan University.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.7003

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Brain and Behavior is an open access journal that publishes research relating to every area of neurology, neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry. We publish interdisciplinary research reports - all enhancing the understanding of the brain and behavior. Brain and Behavior is part of Wiley’s Forward Series which are inclusive open access journals increasing discoverability.

About Wiley
Wiley is a knowledge company and a global leader in research, publishing, and knowledge solutions. Dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge, Wiley serves the world’s researchers, learners, innovators, and leaders, helping them achieve their goals and solve the world's most important challenges. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Journal

Brain and Behavior

DOI

10.1002/brb3.70034

Article Title

The Relationship Between Menstrual Cycle Pattern and Post-traumatic Stress in Women Following the 2023 Earthquake in Turkey

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024

Do preventive health technologies promote or harm consumers’ wellbeing?

Wiley

Preventive health technologies—such as wrist-worn activity trackers or health and fitness apps—are popular tools for promoting wellbeing, but new research published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs reveals that consumer engagement with these technologies can be considered a double-edged sword.

The study, which involved 30 in-depth interviews with users, found that consumers engage with preventive health technologies based on a variety of health goals—for example, to lose weight, improve performance, monitor data of an enjoyable activity, or acquire a healthy routine.

These diverse goals led users to experience different “engagement trajectories.” For example, some people had increased engagement initially and then reached a stabilization point of engagement, while others had reduced engagement after their initial interest. Still others became obsessive and over-engaged with the technology over time, while others had fluctuating cycles of engagement.

Investigators found that consumer engagement with preventive health technologies can have beneficial or detrimental effects on wellbeing depending on these types of trajectories. Particularly, while these technologies can support healthy routines, they can also lead to compulsive usage, ultimately leading to users’ ill-being.

“As preventive health technologies become more integrated into our daily lives, it’s crucial to understand the factors that lead to over-engagement and ill-being, so that designers of health apps can mitigate these risks,” said corresponding author Lisa Baiwir, a PhD candidate at the University of Liège, in Belgium.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joca.12603

About the Journal
The Journal of Consumer Affairs (JCA) is owned by the American Council on Consumer Interests and was founded in 1967. It is the premier journal devoted to peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary research about the interests of consumers in the marketplace. JCA publishes high-quality research about consumer behavior, consumer and household decision-making, and the implications of private business practices and government policies for consumers’ well-being. Research published in the journal focuses on protecting consumers’ interests and is addressed from the consumers’ point of view.

Journal

Journal of Consumer Affairs

DOI

10.1111/joca.12603

Article Title

Consumer engagement with preventive health technologies: A double edged sword for consumer wellbeing

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024

POLLUTION

Soil and water pollution: An invisible threat to cardiovascular health

Today in Nature Reviews Cardiology: International research team warns of strong links between soil and water pollution and cardiovascular disease

Max Planck Institute for Chemistry

The key points of this publication are:

Illnesses related to chemical pollution of the soil, water, and air are responsible for an estimated 9 million premature deaths annually, which equates to 16% of all global deaths; half of these deaths are of cardiovascular origin.
Degradation of the soil threatens the health of at least 3.2 billion people (40% of the global population). In contrast, more than two billion people (25% of the global population) live in countries that are particularly affected by water pollution.
Eco-disruptive causes of soil and water pollution include deforestation, climate change, airborne dust, over-fertilization, and unhealthy city designs.
Pollution by heavy metals, pesticides, and micro- and nanoplastics cause cardiovascular damage, by inducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and impairing circadian rhythms.
Exposure to chemicals (such as heavy metals, solvents, dioxins, and pesticides) at workplaces, through consumer products or indirectly via environmental contamination contributes to endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.

“Soil contamination is a much less visible danger to human health than dirty air”, comment the two main authors of the study, Prof. Dr. Thomas Münzel, Senior Professor, and Prof. Dr. Andreas Daiber, Head of the Molecular Cardiology Research Group at the Department of Cardiology at University Medical Mainz. “But the evidence is mounting that pollutants in the soil as well as in water may damage cardiovascular health through some central mechanisms that have been identified to play a key role in the atherosclerotic process such as inflammation of the vasculature, increased oxidative stress, but also the disruption of the body’s natural clock causing vascular (endothelial) dysfunction that may lead to the initiation or progression of atherosclerotic disease.” An important reason for writing this review article was therefore to strongly encourage cardiologists to consider environmental factors that could influence their patients' risk,” adds Thomas Münzel.

The potential hazards of contaminated airborne dust are also becoming increasingly important - commonly known as Sahara or desert dust, for example. Around 770,000 cardiovascular deaths per year can be attributed to dust pollution. “Unfortunately, climate models predict that this airborne dust will increase significantly and that air quality will deteriorate as the planet warms,” comments Prof. Dr. Jos Lelieveld from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry.

Controlling soil and water pollution is crucial to reducing cardiovascular risk, according to the authors. Key strategies include reducing exposure to harmful chemicals through improved water filtration, air quality management, and adherence to good agricultural practices. Efforts such as the European Commission's zero-pollution vision for 2050 aim to significantly reduce pollution levels, contribute to healthier ecosystems and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.

Promoting sustainable urban design, reducing the use of harmful pesticides, and improving environmental regulations worldwide are also essential to tackle the causes of soil and water pollution. These measures protect ecosystems and public health, particularly by reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease caused by pollution.

The international research team includes authors from the following institutions: Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Mainz (Thomas Münzel, Omar Hahad and Andreas Daiber), Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany (Jos Lelieveld), Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA (Michael Aschner), Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain (Mark Nieuwenhuijsen) and Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Boston, MA, USA (Philip Landrigan).

About the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

The University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is the only medical institution of supra-maximum supply in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and an internationally recognized science location. Medical and scientific specialists at more than 60 clinics, institutes and departments work interdisciplinarily to treat more than 345,000 patients per year. Highly specialized patient care, research and teaching are inseparably intertwined. More than 3,500 medicine and dentistry students as well as around 670 future medical, commercial and technical professionals are trained in Mainz. With a workforce of approximately 8,700 colleagues the University Medical Center Mainz is one of the largest employers in the region and an important driver of growth and innovation. Find more information online at www.unimedizin-mainz.de

Journal

Nature Reviews Cardiology

DOI

10.1038/s41569-024-01068-0

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Soil and water pollution and cardiovascular disease

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024

Air pollution exposure during early life can have lasting effects on the brain’s white matter

First study to investigate the association between early exposure to air pollution and white matter microstructure across adolescence in a large cohort

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)

Exposure to certain pollutants, like fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), during pregnancy and childhood is associated with differences in the microstructure of the brain´s white matter, and some of these effects persist throughout adolescence. These are the main conclusions of a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by “la Caixa” Foundation. The findings, published in Environmental Research, highlight the importance of addressing air pollution as a public health issue, particularly for pregnant women and children.

An increasing amount of evidence suggests that air pollution affects neurodevelopment in children. Recent studies using imaging techniques have looked at the impact of air pollutants on the brain’s white matter, which plays a crucial role in connecting different brain regions. However, these studies were limited in that they only looked at one timepoint and did not follow the participants throughout childhood.

“Following participants throughout childhood and including two neuroimaging assessments for each child would shed new light on whether the effects of air pollution on white matter persist, attenuate, or worsen,” says ISGlobal researcher Mònica Guxens. And that is what she and her team did.

The study involved over 4,000 participants who had been followed since birth as part of the Generation R Study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The research team estimated the amount of exposure to 14 different air pollutants during pregnancy and childhood, based on where the families lived. For 1,314 children, the researchers were able to use data from two brain scans - one performed around 10 years of age and another around 14 years of age - to examine changes in white matter microstructure.

Some effects persist, some diminish over time

The analysis found that exposure to certain pollutants, like fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), was linked to differences in the development of white matter in the brain. Specifically, higher exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy, and higher exposure to PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5-10, and NOx during childhood were associated with lower levels of a measure called fractional anisotropy, which measures how water molecules diffuse within the brain. In more mature brains, water flows more in one direction than in all directions, which gives higher values for this marker. This association persisted throughout adolescence (i.e. it was also observed in the second scan), suggesting a long-term impact of air pollution on brain development. Every increase in exposure level to air pollution corresponded to more than a 5-month delay in the development of fractional anisotropy.

“We think that the lower fractional anisotropy is likely the result of changes in myelin, the protective sheath that forms around the nerves, rather than in the structure or packaging of the nerve fibers” says Michelle Kusters, ISGlobal researcher and first author of the study. How air pollutants affect myelin is not fully understood, but could be linked to the entrance of small particles directly to the brain or to inflammatory mediators produced by the body when the particles enter the lungs. Together, this would lead to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and eventually neuronal death, as documented in animal studies.

The study also found that some pollutants were linked to changes in another measure of white matter, called mean diffusivity, which reflects the integrity of white matter, and which tends to decrease as the brain matures. Higher exposure to pollutants like silicon in fine particles (PM2.5) during pregnancy was associated with initially higher mean diffusivity, which then decreased more rapidly as the children grew older. This indicates that some effects of air pollution may diminish over time.

Policy implications

Overall, the study suggests that air pollution exposure, both during pregnancy and early childhood, can have lasting effects on the brain’s white matter. “Even if the size of the effects were small, this can have a meaningful impact on a population scale,” says Guxens.

Importantly, these findings were present in children exposed to PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations above the currently recommended maximum values by the WHO but below those currently recommended by the European Union. “Our study provides support to the need for more stringent European guidelines on air pollution, which are expected to be approved soon by the European Parliament,” adds Guxens.

In a previous study, Guxens and her team showed that white matter microstructure can also be affected by early exposure to heat and cold, especially in children living in poorer neighbourhoods.

Reference

Kusters MW, Lopez-Vicente M, Muetzel RL et al. Residential ambient air pollution exposure and the development of white matter microstructure throughout adolescence. Environ Res. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119828.2024.

About ISGlobal

The Barcelona Institute for Global Health, ISGlobal, is the fruit of an innovative alliance between the ”la Caixa” Foundation and academic and government institutions to contribute to the efforts undertaken by the international community to address the challenges in global health. ISGlobal is a consolidated hub of excellence in research that has grown out of work first started in the world of health care by the Hospital Clínic and the Parc de Salut MAR and in the academic sphere by the University of Barcelona and Pompeu Fabra University. Its working model is based on the generation of scientific knowledge through Research Programmes and Groups, and its translation through the areas of Training and Analysis and Global Development. ISGlobal has been named a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence and is a member of the CERCA system of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Journal

Environmental Research

DOI

10.1016/j.envres.2024.119828

Article Title

Residential ambient air pollution exposure and the development of white matter microstructure throughout adolescence.

Virtual reality can help pedestrians and cyclists swerve harmful pollutants – study

University of Birmingham

Physics-informed virtual reality could be key to reducing the exposure of pedestrians and cyclists to harmful, non-exhaust vehicle emissions, according to a study published today (25 Sep) in the Royal Society Open Science journal.

The research lead by the University of Birmingham (supported by Rosetrees Trust and Research England QR Funding), targets the issue of major health risks and chronic diseases caused by exposure to unregulated particle pollutants from road, tyre and brake sources by providing easy, accessible guidance to the public, policy makers, and city planners, through immersive VR experiences.

Detailed computational fluid dynamics models were used to simulate the release and dispersion of these particles from vehicles - which cannot usually be seen by the naked eye - in order to educate the general public about when they are most pervasive and the ways in which they can navigate their urban spaces more mindfully and safely.

The VR models were put to the test with members of the public in Birmingham city centre: the second largest city in the UK by population, and, as a city, the second largest contributor to UK PM2.5 emissions from brake and tyre wear, based on data from the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI).

Principal Investigator Dr Jason Stafford from the University of Birmingham said: “Air quality plays a key role in the health and wellbeing of society. Despite the electric vehicle transition, harmful emissions persist through the release of small particles from brakes, tyres and roads, into the air we breathe. Computational models can help us to understand the pollution pathways and identify those key moments in people’s daily journeys where exposure risk is highest. By making these non-exhaust pollutants visible within a virtual urban environment using our models, people were able to actually see the dangers with their own eyes and act accordingly in order to reduce or avoid exposure wherever possible.”

The research also outlines how the implementation of VR could lead to a rethink in town and city planning in order to encourage cleaner air. Dr Stafford added: “Early analysis revealed that exposure risk to these pollutants was highest at the end of braking events. Unfortunately, this means that most bus stops, pedestrian crossings, and cycle lanes are within these danger zones due to them often being located at the braking zones of cars (e.g. road junctions) where the largest pollution dispersion distances are found. These outcomes highlight the air quality issues with current layouts, while also supporting the re-design and navigation of urban spaces for cleaner air, particularly situations where vehicle traffic is unavoidably close to pedestrians and cyclists.”

Journal

Royal Society Open Science

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Evaluating exposure to vehicle pollutants using physics-informed immersive reality model

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024