United States: With climate change, people are more likely to suffer from such brain conditions as stroke, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis more than ever before, a new study warns.
This impact of environmental alteration on a range of neurological diseases is expectably huge, according to research published in the May 2023 issue of Lancet Neurology.
More about the research
Sanjay Sisodiya, the lead researcher and a professor with the University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, said, “There is clear evidence for an impact of the climate on some brain conditions, especially stroke, and infections of the nervous system,” as US News reported.
In order to conduct a study, the scientists examined data taken from 332 studies published between 1968 and 2023.
The statement issued by Sisodiya noted, “The climatic variation that was shown to have an effect on brain diseases included extremes of temperature [both low and high], and greater temperature variation throughout the course of the day — especially when these measures were seasonally unusual.”
Know more about strokes
Strokes occurred more often during periods of heat waves or hot days, and it was scholarlyally concluded.
On the other hand, for patients with dementia, conditions like heat stroke or hypothermia will be more challenging if the temperature is extremely high or extremely low, and they will get hurt easily during weather events like floods or wildfires, as US News reported.
According to the research team, “Reduced awareness of risk is combined with a diminished capacity to seek help or to mitigate potential harm, such as by drinking more in hot weather or by adjusting clothing,” as US News reported.
“Accordingly, greater temperature variation, hotter days, and heatwaves lead to increased dementia-associated hospital admissions and mortality,” it added.
According to Sisodiya, “Nighttime temperatures may be particularly important, as higher temperatures through the night can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep is known to aggravate a number of brain conditions.”
Investigators mentioned that the latest research is making it easier to find out a link between climate change and brain conditions. However, things were considered in mind, such as environmental factors during earlier studies, which may not have become severe enough to affect people’s brains.
Sisodiya said, “This work is taking place against a worrying worsening of climatic conditions, and it will need to remain agile and dynamic if it is to generate information that is of use to both individuals and organizations,” and “Moreover, there are few studies estimating health consequences on brain diseases under future climate scenarios, making forward planning challenging.”