Events

Megan Herting, PhD - Associate Professor, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Southern California

 May 06, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.

Environmental pollutants that we encounter every day can have a significant impact on our health, including brain health. Of particular concern, outdoor air pollution is a prominent neurotoxicant. Ongoing brain development renders children and adolescents particularly vulnerable. In this talk, I will highlight emerging neuroimaging research showing that even relatively 'safe' levels of air pollution exposure are associated with differences in brain development. This will include findings from my research team linking geospatial air quality estimates to brain structure and function in the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study cohort. Building upon strong existing animal toxicology evidence, these findings demonstrate how neuroimaging can help to address pressing questions in environmental neuroscience and inform policy makers to improve public health.