A meta-analytical umbrella review assessing urban environment exposures and cognitive health outcomes.
Introduction Global population ageing is increasing the burden of cognitive decline and dementia. While systematic reviews have examined links between environmental exposures and cognitive outcomes, evidence remains fragmented. This umbrella review aimed to synthesise and meta-analyse systematic rev...
| Published in: | Age & Ageing Vol. 55; no. 7; pp. 1 - 19 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Article |
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Oxford University Press / USA
Jul2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=195867370&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 195867370 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00020729 AGA jtl: Age & Ageing issn: 00020729 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jul2026 vid: 55 iid: 7 pid: 622 pub: Oxford University Press / USA artinfo: ui: 195867370 10.1093/ageing/afag215 ppf: 1 ppct: 18 formats: tig: atl: A meta-analytical umbrella review assessing urban environment exposures and cognitive health outcomes. aug: au: Glover, Sophie Cleland, Claire Trott, Mike Akaraci, Selin O'Kane, Niamh Valson, Joanna McGuinness, Bernadette Hunter, Ruth affil: Queen's University Belfast School of Medicine Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences—Centre for Public Health, Belfast, UK Queen's University Belfast School of Medicine Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences—Centre for Public Health, Belfast, UKQueensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia su: Environmental health Air pollution Mental health Metropolitan areas Interpersonal relations Built environment Cognition Dementia risk factors Dementia prevention Cognition disorder risk factors Risk assessment Medical information storage & retrieval systems Research funding Meta-analysis Descriptive statistics Systematic reviews MEDLINE Environmental exposure Online information services Nitrogen oxides Confidence intervals Data analysis software Psychology information storage & retrieval systems sug: subj: Environmental health Air pollution Mental health Metropolitan areas Interpersonal relations Built environment Cognition Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) Dementia risk factors Dementia prevention Cognition disorder risk factors Risk assessment Medical information storage & retrieval systems Research funding Meta-analysis Descriptive statistics Systematic reviews MEDLINE Environmental exposure Online information services Nitrogen oxides Confidence intervals Data analysis software Psychology information storage & retrieval systems keyword: aged aging air pollution cognitive decline cognitive impairment copyrightHolder:British Geriatrics Society copyrightYear:2026 dementia dementia prevention embase environmental exposure environmental exposures exposure health outcomes https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afag215 inLanguage:en light exposure narrative discourse nitrogen dioxide nitrogen oxides noise older people particulate matter publisher:Oxford University Press sameAs:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42497094/ social engagement social environment sulfur dioxide travel umbrella review urban design aged aging air pollution cognitive decline cognitive impairment copyrightHolder:British Geriatrics Society copyrightYear:2026 dementia dementia prevention embase environmental exposure environmental exposures exposure health outcomes https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afag215 inLanguage:en light exposure narrative discourse nitrogen dioxide nitrogen oxides noise older people particulate matter publisher:Oxford University Press sameAs:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42497094/ social engagement social environment sulfur dioxide travel umbrella review urban design ab: Introduction Global population ageing is increasing the burden of cognitive decline and dementia. While systematic reviews have examined links between environmental exposures and cognitive outcomes, evidence remains fragmented. This umbrella review aimed to synthesise and meta-analyse systematic reviews on urban environmental exposures and cognitive health. Methods A meta-analytic umbrella review (PROSPERO: CRD42023425117) was conducted using PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO. Systematic reviews examining urban environments and cognitive health were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Meta-analytic evidence was graded ('convincing' to 'not significant') based on sample size, effect strength and bias. Narrative synthesis was also performed. Results From 6391 records, 54 systematic reviews were included, comprising 66 meta-analysed outcomes and 270 exposure–outcome associations. Air pollution showed the strongest evidence: particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) (10/11 significant outcomes) and nitrogen dioxide/nitrogen oxide (5/10) demonstrated highly probable detrimental effects on cognitive health. Social relationships (5/8) showed probable beneficial effects. Green and blue spaces were associated with reduced dementia risk (3/6). Narrative findings supported these results and identified research gaps, particularly for travel behaviour (no outcomes identified). Conclusion There is highly probable evidence linking air pollution to poorer cognitive health and probable evidence supporting social relationships. Further research is needed on urban design, noise, light exposure and underexplored pollutants (CO, SO₂). Policies should prioritise reducing air pollution and promoting social engagement to support cognitive health and dementia prevention. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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