Can you get dementia from long-term exposure to traffic noise? | In Focus podcast

Road traffic noise is a major environmental pollutant. Indian cities are cacophonous. They are not designed to insulate residents from sustained exposure to traffic noise.A new research paper has found a worrying link between traffic noise exposure and dementia, and also cognitive impairment.The paper, titled ‘Association of road traffic noise exposure with dementia or cognitive impairment – A systematic review of longitudinal cohort studies’, has been co-authored by Emil Basil Scaria and Nisha Dhanda, and was published on PLOS Global Public Health earlier this year.We speak with the lead author of the study.Guest: Emil Basil Scaria, a public health researcher and physician based in DubaiHost: G. SampathEdited and produced by Sharmada VenkatasubramanianListen to more In Focus podcasts: Published - August 25, 2026 04:39 pm IST