The effects of smog on the psyche: increases the risk of depression

Chronic exposure to motor vehicle smog increases the risk of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia, increases the consumption of antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers, and exacerbates existing psychiatric illnesses. The negative impact on mental health is quantified, for the first time in Italy, in two studies previewed during the RespiraMi International Seminar: Recent Advances in Air Pollution and Health co-organized by the IRCCS Ca ‘Granda Foundation Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and by Menarini International Foundation.