Recent research published in The Lancet Neurology journal suggests that the raging climate crisis is expected to have a terrible impact on people’s brain health, especially those suffering from troubling conditions like migraine and Alzheimer’s.
Lead researcher Sanjay Sisodiya from the University College London’s Institute of Neurology, UK, explained that extreme temperatures, be it more or less, and significant fluctuations throughout the day, all driven by climate change, affect brain diseases.
Rise in hospital admissions, disabilities or fatalities
The analysis examined 332 publications spanning from 1968 to 2023. It focused on 19 different nervous system disorders, including migraine, stroke, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, meningitis and multiple sclerosis. Researchers involved in the study noted concerning results.
They observed a rise in hospital admissions, disabilities or fatalities caused by strokes during periods of elevated temperatures, besides finding that people with dementia are at risk of harm during disasters as their condition may limit their capacity to adapt to environmental changes.
Sisodiya highlighted that: “Night-time temperatures may be particularly important as higher temperatures throughout the night can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep is known to aggravate a number of brain conditions.” The situation appears precarious.
Read More: How is Climate Change Affecting Mental Health?
Need to ensure scientific research is up to date
Climate change has turned into one of the greatest threats to humanity, or perhaps the most serious one. It has been elevating average global temperatures to unprecedented levels and triggering natural disasters of much higher intensity than the earlier days.
It is important to ensure that research is up to date, and estimates the consequences for brain diseases not only under the present state of climate change but also the future. Keep an eye out as we deliver more such updates on ‘climate change and human health‘.
