Analysis of the state of cognitive functions in the child population living in conditions of chronic aerotechnogenic exposure to neurotropic impurities

Introduction. Solving the problem of reducing the adversee impact of environmental risk factors on the harmonious development of cognitive functions is an urgent task.

The purpose of the study. To study the state of cognitive functions in children living in conditions of chronic aerotechnogenic exposure to neurotropic impurities.

Materials and methods. There were examined one hundred sixty seven children aged of 5–7 years including 136 preschoolers of the observation group lived in an area with excess hygienic standards for the concentration of lead, nickel, and phenol in the atmospheric air; 31 child of the comparison group lived in an area characterized by relative sanitary and hygienic well-being. To study cognitive functions, we used a series of test tasks to assess attention, memory, perception, logical thinking, analytical and synthetic activity. The state of the oxidative-antioxidant system and the level of glutamic acid were studied.

Results. In the exposure zones, the multiplicity of average annual MPC excesses. It was up to 2.4 times for lead, 0.04 times for nickel, and 0.25 times for phenol. In children from the observation group, the frequency of excess of chemicals in the blood relative to the comparison group was 2.1 times for phenol, 1.3–1.7 times — maximum concentrations of lead and nickel in the blood. The effectiveness of tests to assess the level of memory and attention development in the exposed children was 1.2–1.5 times lower than in the children of the comparison group (p = 0.001–0.04). A relationship was revealed between the increased blood content of lead, nickel, and phenol and a decrease in memory, attention, and sensorimotor coordination (–0.183 ≤ r ≤ –0.145; 0.020 ≤ р ≤ 0.080). Causal relationships were found between the content of neurotoxicants in the blood and the level of glutamic acid, plasma malondialdehyde, and antioxidant activity (R² = 0.19–0.75, p = 0.0001–0.022).

Research limitations. Age-dependent limitation of the possibility to use cognitive tests.

Conclusions. Indicators of cognitive decline are important for identifying risk groups among the child population living in the zone of aerogenic influence of industrial emissions components in order to further develop preventive measures.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies (Meeting report No. 2 dated February 1, 2021). Legal representatives were informed about the aim of the study and provided their voluntary informed consent to participation.

Contribution of the authors:
Savinkov М.А. — data collection, statistical analysis, writing the text;
Nosov А.Е. — study concept, editing the text;
Shcherbakov А.А. — data collection, writing the text;
Ustinova O.Yu. — study concept, editing the text;
Valina S.L. — editing the text.
All authors have approved the final version of the article and bear full responsibility for the integrity of all its parts.

Funding. The research was not granted any sponsor support.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: August 29, 2025 / October 8, 2025 / Published: December 17, 2025

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