Association of exposure to road traffic noise with cognitive function in elderly women

Abstract

OPS 43: Noise, stress and mental health, Room 217, Floor 2, August 27, 2019, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Background: Adverse effects of traffic noise on cognition have been found in children, but only few studies investigated the (long-term) health effects of noise exposure in adults. However, large parts of the population are exposed to high levels of road traffic noise at the residence. This study on the long-term association of road traffic noise with cognition includes day- and nighttime noise exposure simultaneously, and investigates self-reported noise annoyance in addition to modeled residential noise levels. Methods: In a cohort of 288 elderly women from the longitudinal Study on the influence of Air pollution on Lung function, Inflammation and Aging (SALIA) in Western Germany we investigated the association of residential exposure to road traffic noise and annoyance due to road traffic noise with cognitive performance. Residential noise levels – weighted 24-hour mean and nighttime noise – were modeled for the exposed facade of dwellings. Traffic noise annoyance (day and night) was estimated by questionnaire. Cognitive function was assessed using the Consortium to Establish a Registry on Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD-Plus) Neuropsychological Assessment Battery. The probability of impaired cognition (cognitive score < 0) was modeled using logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. Results: While objective noise exposure was associated with impaired total cognition (OR 1.69, p<0.1) and constructional praxis domain (OR 2.72, p<0.05), subjective noise exposure exhibited inverse associations with better performance in semantic memory (OR 0.52, p<0.05) and in the constructional praxis domain (OR 0.56, p<0.1). The findings were independent of air pollution levels, and, although modeled noise levels and noise annoyance were associated, their health effects seemed mutually independent. Conclusions: The relationships between noise exposure, annoyance, and cognitive performance in the elderly turned out complex and could be examined more deeply by incorporating additional factors such as window opening habits, hearing ability, etc., in future studies.