Ground-Level Ozone Exposure and Cognitive Decline: Biomedical Innovations for At-Risk Brain Health
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.4189Keywords:
Ground-level ozone, Cognitive decline, Neurodegeneration, Biomedical engineering, Oxidative stress, Public healthAbstract
Ground-level ozone is a pervasive environmental pollutant and potent oxidative stressor that has been increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative processes. This study investigates the association between long-term ground-level ozone exposure and the prevalence of cognitive decline across 10 U.S. states (Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas) from 2021 to 2024, while exploring the role of biomedical engineering in mitigating these risks. An ecological regression analysis was conducted using state-level cognitive decline data from the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and daily maximum 8-hour ozone concentrations from EPA air quality datasets. Mean ground-level ozone concentrations were significantly positively correlated with cognitive decline prevalence (p < 0.05, r = 0.486). The regression model (β1 = 191.73 per ppm; SE = 56.67) indicates that each 10-ppb increase in ground-level exposure is associated with a 1.92% increase in cognitive decline prevalence. Arizona exhibited the highest ozone concentrations (0.0480–0.0503 ppm), while both Arizona and Texas reported high cognitive decline prevalence. Biological literature supports these findings, linking ozone to chronic oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and loss of synaptic plasticity in key regions such as the hippocampus. These findings highlight long-term ozone exposure as a significant environmental correlate of cognitive aging and underscore the need for biomedical engineering interventions, such as smart indoor air filtration, adaptive ventilation, real-time exposure monitoring, and neuroprotective therapeutics, to protect vulnerable populations.
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