New research at the University of Edinburgh shows how greater exposure to air pollution during childhood is associated with poorer cognitive function later on in life.

Researchers did this by testing the general intelligence of more than 500 people aged approximately 70 years using a test they had all completed at the age of 11 years.

A record of where each person had lived throughout their life was used to estimate the level of air pollution they had experienced in their early years. In addition, lifestyle factors, such as socio-economic status and smoking, were also considered.

Higher levels of air pollution was unsurprisingly linked to poorer cognitive ability.