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PsyPost于2026年10月14日报道青少年脑认知发展（ABCD）研究的一项新分析：住在细颗粒物（PM2.5）或臭氧偏高社区的青春期前少年，两年内神经认知成熟度的提升少于空气更清洁、特征相近的同龄人。他们在思维任务、脑网络组织与正常皮层变薄上进步更弱。论文发表于《Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience》。本文说明发现、方法、结果与研究边界。

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Can dirty air slow a young brain? On October 14, 2026, PsyPost reported a new analysis from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Preteens in neighborhoods with high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or ozone showed less neurocognitive maturation over two years than similar peers in cleaner areas. They made smaller gains on thinking tasks, showed less maturation in brain network organization, and had less of the cortical thinning that marks healthy development. The paper appears in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.

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脏空气会拖慢年轻大脑的发育吗？2026年10月14日，PsyPost报道了青少年脑认知发展（ABCD）研究的一项新分析。住在细颗粒物（PM2.5）或臭氧浓度偏高社区的青春期前少年，在两年内神经认知成熟度的提升少于空气更清洁、特征相近的同龄人。他们在思维任务上进步更小，脑网络组织的成熟更弱，也较少出现通常标志健康发育的皮层变薄。论文发表于《Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience》。

Adolescence is a busy time for the brain. Attention, memory, and cognitive control keep improving, while the cortex changes in structure and function. PM2.5 particles are smaller than red blood cells and can travel through the bloodstream; some toxic parts may reach the brain through the nose. Ozone in smog may harm nerve cells through long-term oxidative stress, and inflammation is another possible pathway. Earlier imaging studies linked these pollutants to brain differences in youth, but findings were mixed, and few checked links to thinking skills.

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青春期是大脑忙碌的阶段。注意力、记忆和认知控制仍在提升，皮层的结构与功能也在变化。PM2.5比红细胞还小，可经血液循环；部分有毒成分还可能经鼻腔抵达大脑。烟雾中的臭氧可能通过长期氧化应激伤害神经细胞，炎症也是可能路径。较早的影像研究已把这些污染物与青少年大脑差异联系起来，但结果并不一致，也很少检验与思维能力的关联。

Omid Kardan of the University of Michigan and colleagues used ABCD data from U.S. children who joined at ages 9 to 10, comparing scans and cognitive tasks two years later. Exposure was estimated from modeled air pollution near each child’s home. High exposure followed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency thresholds for annual PM2.5 and peak ozone. Because pollution often tracks income and neighborhood conditions, each high-pollution group was matched with controls on income, parental education, race, ethnicity, sex, and age. Analyses also adjusted for puberty, mental health symptoms, and neighborhood disadvantage.

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密歇根大学的Omid Kardan与同事使用ABCD数据：美国儿童在9至10岁入组，并比较两年后的脑扫描和认知任务。暴露量按各孩童住址附近的模型化空气污染估算。高暴露采用美国环保署对年均PM2.5与臭氧峰值的阈值。由于污染常与收入和社区条件相关，每个高污染组都按收入、父母教育、种族、族裔、性别和年龄与对照组匹配。分析还调整了青春期、心理健康症状和社区劣势等因素。

The team combined cognitive performance, average cortical thickness, and how adult-like a child’s brain networks looked into one maturation index. Children in low-pollution control groups showed a reliable rise on that index over two years; children with high PM2.5 or high ozone did not show the same clear gains. The differences were small, yet they remained after researchers accounted for the other pollutant. The authors conclude that cutting these pollutants near homes and schools matters, because healthy cognitive development supports academic achievement and resilience.

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团队把认知表现、平均皮层厚度，以及儿童脑网络“像成人”的程度合成一个成熟指数。低污染对照组儿童在两年内该指数有可靠上升；高PM2.5或高臭氧暴露儿童则未出现同样清晰的进步。差异不大，但在研究者计入另一种污染物后依然成立。作者总结：降低住宅与学校附近这些污染物很重要，因为健康的认知发展支撑学业成就与心理韧性。

The study is observational, so it cannot prove that pollution alone caused the lag. Pollution was measured only at the start around the home, which may miss moves, school air, or earlier exposure. The ozone cut-off also differed from the EPA’s usual calculation. Still, with careful matching and clear limits, the ABCD analysis adds evidence that neighborhood air may shape how young brains mature—and why cleaner air is a learning issue and an environmental one.

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这是观察性研究，不能证明污染单独导致滞后。污染仅在研究开始时按住址周边测量，可能漏掉搬家、学校空气或更早的暴露。臭氧切分标准也与环保署常用算法不同。不过，凭借仔细匹配与清楚边界，这项ABCD分析提供了证据：社区空气或会影响年轻大脑如何成熟——而清洁空气既是学习议题，也是环境议题。

新闻来源

• PsyPost · Neighborhood air pollution linked to slower brain development in early adolescence (14 Oct 2026)
• Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · Neighborhood air pollution is associated with attenuated neurocognitive maturation over early adolescence (DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2026.101719)

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