About this Research Topic
There is a growing awareness of the impact of airborne toxicants and particulate matter on our brains. Toxicants include but are not limited to, pesticides, solvents, hazardous chemicals, and gaseous emissions. Particulate matter includes but is not limited to, that which is created by automobile and factory emissions, earth-derived particulate matter, and wildfire smoke. Particulate matter (PM) ranges in size from fine (< 2.5 uM) to ultrafine (UFP; < 100 nanometers). UFPs have received increased attention of late, both for their ubiquity in highly populated areas and for their ability to be transported to the central nervous system. Particulate matter and toxicants may reach the brain through the olfactory system, lungs, skin, mucosa, and gastrointestinal tract to name but the better-characterized routes of entry. There, they can initiate profound and long-lasting effects on the brain, including alterations in neurotransmitter systems, cellular constituents, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. All of these can impact mood and behavior, causing cognitive impairment and dysphoria.
This Research Topic aims to explore the effects of inhaled environmental toxicants and particulate matter on nervous system physiology and their subsequent impact on brain health and/or behavior. The resulting collection of cutting-edge original research articles, reviews, and opinion pieces will ultimately provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying toxicant and particulate matter-induced alterations in brain physiology and their impact on cognition, mood, and behavior. It is hoped the resultant understanding will lead to innovative public health and therapeutic strategies to protect brain health and improve overall well-being in the face of these environmental challenges.
To build up a consolidated collection of articles tackling the impact of this current biological problem on our health, and to raise awareness within the scientific community we are looking for the following:
· In vivo studies performed on animal models (rodents, non-human primates, etc.)
· In vitro studies to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation due to exposure to toxicants and air pollution.
· Human studies using psychophysical assessments, neuroimaging techniques, or electrophysiological recordings to examine the effects of toxicant exposure on olfactory processing and their correlation with behavior and brain activity.
· Studies focusing on prenatal, neonatal, or perinatal exposures to fine micro and nano-plastic particles
· Development and use of innovative techniques, such as chemogenetics or sensory-specific gene expression profiling.
This Research Topic aims to explore the effects of inhaled environmental toxicants and particulate matter on nervous system physiology and their subsequent impact on brain health and/or behavior. The resulting collection of cutting-edge original research articles, reviews, and opinion pieces will ultimately provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying toxicant and particulate matter-induced alterations in brain physiology and their impact on cognition, mood, and behavior. It is hoped the resultant understanding will lead to innovative public health and therapeutic strategies to protect brain health and improve overall well-being in the face of these environmental challenges.
To build up a consolidated collection of articles tackling the impact of this current biological problem on our health, and to raise awareness within the scientific community we are looking for the following:
· In vivo studies performed on animal models (rodents, non-human primates, etc.)
· In vitro studies to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation due to exposure to toxicants and air pollution.
· Human studies using psychophysical assessments, neuroimaging techniques, or electrophysiological recordings to examine the effects of toxicant exposure on olfactory processing and their correlation with behavior and brain activity.
· Studies focusing on prenatal, neonatal, or perinatal exposures to fine micro and nano-plastic particles
· Development and use of innovative techniques, such as chemogenetics or sensory-specific gene expression profiling.
Keywords: PM, brain, neuroinflammation, airborne toxicants, mood, behavior, cancer, lung
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
