Mental health crisis in Delhi: AIIMS experts sound alarm over pollution-linked brain harm

Medical practitioners in Delhi are sounding urgent alarms about the severe mental health and cognitive impacts of the city's toxic air, warning that prolonged exposure to pollution is increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, ADHD, and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

According to experts speaking out this week, residents of Delhi report 30-40 percent higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to cities with lower Air Quality Index levels. Dr. Anchal Miglani, a psychiatrist at Emoneeds, said that while respiratory and cardiovascular conditions dominate public attention, the psychiatric impact of air pollution is equally alarming. Children growing up in polluted environments face lower IQ levels, memory disturbances, and a higher likelihood of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The warnings come as Delhi's air quality remained in the hazardous category, with the AQI reaching 377 on December 26. The crisis coincides with a major study published December 18 in the journal Environmental Research by Oregon Health & Science University, which found that everyday exposure to urban air pollution gradually alters brain development in children and young adults. Analysing nearly 11,000 children, OHSU researchers discovered that exposure to air pollutants at ages 9-10 was associated with changes in cortical thickness in the frontal and temporal brain regions responsible for executive function, language, mood regulation and socioemotional processing.

Neurodevelopmental Crisis for Children 

Dr Deepika Dahima, a psychologist at AIIMS Delhi, described the air pollution crisis as both a mental health emergency and an environmental one, noting that prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter correlates with rising anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment and chronic stress. Children show disrupted neural development and learning difficulties, while adults experience irritability, emotional fatigue and impaired decision-making.

"Increasingly, a wide spectrum of behavioural and learning issues such as attention difficulties, irritability, and poor academic performance are being noticed in many children," said Dr Jitender Nagpal, deputy medical superintendent and paediatrician at Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research. Multiple studies have established links between PM2.5 exposure and increased ADHD risk, with some research showing a 1.51-fold increased risk per 5 μg/m³ increase in PM2.5 and others indicating elevated risks when exposure exceeds 16 μg/m³.

With inputs from PTI