The Summary Studies have found that wildfire smoke negatively affects brain health. “A lot of the research on wildfire smoke has historically focused on our lungs and our hearts,” said Stephanie Cleland, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University who studies the health impacts of wildfire smoke. Scientists think the reason wildfire smoke affects the brain is that the tiny particles within it can cross the barrier between the bloodstream and the brain, causing inflammation in the central nervous system. Other research published the same year showed that exposure to wildfire smoke during the school year reduced students’ test scores relative to a year with no smoke. “Last summer completely changed our conversation around who’s exposed to wildfire smoke,” she said.

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Persons: ”, Stephanie Cleland, Holly Elser, Cleland, Marshall Burke, ” Burke, ” Elser, “, Elser, it’s, who’s Organizations: Simon Fraser University, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Hospital of, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University Locations: California , Oregon, Montana, Northern, Southern California, U.S, Midwest, “ Oregon, California, Washington, British Columbia, Northeast U.S, Ontario