New Delhi: Rising air pollution levels across India are increasingly being linked to a decline in mental health, with psychiatrists and environmental experts warning of long-term neurological consequences. Studies show that toxic air can alter brain chemistry, elevate stress, and even contribute to serious conditions such as dementia and developmental disorders in children.

Dr Lokesh Shekhawat, psychiatrist at RML Hospital, explained that polluted air triggers biological stress within the body. “Air pollution is one of the significant factors. What it does in our body is that there is oxidative stress… These inflammatory markers and oxidative stress continue in our body, which reaches the brain. There is no organ in our body that doesn’t get affected by this. Our brain is very vulnerable, but still people do not take note of this,” he said.

Experts say that prolonged exposure to polluted air can worsen existing mental health issues and increase the risk of new ones. Pregnant women, children, and the elderly are considered the most vulnerable.

Dr Shekhawat added, “The ones who are most impacted are pregnant women; it has been seen that because of pollutants, thirty to forty per cent of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, such as autism or ADHD, increase in prevalence.”

He noted that the effects are equally severe among older adults. “The cells in the vessels of elderly people and neurons are more sensitive because of their advanced age. So, air pollutants damage their neuronal cells. That leads to cognitive decline, memory loss, and even dementia.”

Environmentalists stress that the mental effects of air pollution are often ignored compared to respiratory or cardiac impacts. Sunil Dahiya, an environmentalist, said, “Air pollution is a slow poison. People have yet to understand the direct impact of air pollution on their health… We have been inhaling polluted air year after year, except for a few monsoon months. That’s why the health impacts have been increasing.”

Health experts urge stronger policy measures and greater public participation to tackle air pollution. They say cleaner transport, reduced industrial emissions, and green urban initiatives are crucial not only to protect lungs and hearts but also to safeguard mental health.