Exposure to road traffic noise and cognitive development in schoolchildren in Barcelona, Spain: A population-based cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Road traffic noise is a prevalent and known health hazard. However, little is known yet about its effect on children's cognition. We aimed to study the association between exposure to road traffic noise and the development of working memory and attention in primary school children, considering school-outdoor and school-indoor annual average noise levels and noise fluctuation characteristics, as well as home-outdoor noise exposure.

Methods and findings

We followed up a population-based sample of 2,680 children aged 7 to 10 years from 38 schools in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) between January 2012 to March 2013. Children underwent computerised cognitive tests 4 times (n = 10,112), for working memory (2-back task, detectability), complex working memory (3-back task,

SUBMITTER: Foraster M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9162347 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature