Climate change, and its impact on weather patterns and extreme weather events, is expected to have a negative effect on the health of individuals with brain conditions, according to a group of researchers led by UCL. The team highlights the critical importance of comprehending the influence of climate change on individuals with neurological conditions in a Personal View article published in The Lancet Neurology.In order to protect their health and prevent worsening inequalities, it is important to consider the potential effects of climate change on neurological diseases. A review of 332 papers published worldwide between 1968 and 2023, led by Professor Sanjay Sisodiya at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, suggests that the scale of these effects could be substantial. The team focused on 19 different nervous system conditions, such as stroke, migraine, Alzheimer’s, meningitis, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis, based on the Global Burden of Disease 2016 study. Additionally, they examined the impact of climate change on several other serious conditions.
Common psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia are influenced by the climate, according to Professor Sisodiya, who also serves as the Director of Genomics at the Epilepsy Society and a founding member of Epilepsy Climate Change.
He stated that there is clear evidence showing the impact of climate on certain brain conditions, particularly stroke and infections of the nervous system.
The study revealed that climatic variations, including extreme temperatures and greater temperature fluctuations throughout the day, especially during unusual seasons, can affect brain diseases.
Higher nighttime temperatures can disrupt sleep and worsen a number of brain conditions. It was discovered that stroke admissions, disability, or mortality rates increased during higher ambient temperatures or heatwaves. Additionally, individuals with dementia are at risk of harm from extreme temperatures and weather events due to cognitive impairment limiting their ability to adapt behavior to environmental changes.
They state that a decreased awareness of risk, along with a reduced ability to seek help or avoid potential harm, can lead to behaviors such as increased drinking in hot weather or not adjusting clothing to mitigate heat.
This vulnerability is worsened by weakness, multiple chronic illnesses, and medications affecting the mind. As a result, greater temperature changes, hotter days, and heatwaves can result in more hospital admissions and deaths related to dementia.
Furthermore, the occurrence, hospital admissions, and risk of mortality for various mental health disorders are linked to higher ambient temperatures, daily fluctuations in temperature, and extreme hot and cold weather.
The researchers point out that with the increase in severe adverse weather events and rising global temperatures, populations are experiencing more extreme environmental factors. These factors may not have been severe enough to impact brain conditions in earlier studies that were reviewed as part of the analysis.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that research is current and takes into account not only the current state of climate change but also the future.
Professor Sisodiya stated, “This study is being conducted in the midst of increasingly worrying climatic conditions and will need to be updated.The main goal of being agile and dynamic is to produce useful information for individuals and organizations.
“In addition, there are limited research studies forecasting the health effects on brain diseases in future climate scenarios, which makes it difficult to plan ahead.”
He also stated: “The whole concept of climate anxiety is an additional, potentially significant, factor: many brain conditions are linked to a higher risk of mental disorders, such as anxiety, and these multiple health issues can further complicate the effects of climate change and the necessary adaptations to maintain health. However, there are actions that we can and should take now.”
The Hot Brain 2: climate change and brain health, is being organized by UCL and The Lancet Neurology, led by Professor Sisodiya. Its primary goals are to increase awareness about the impact of climate change on brain and neurological health, facilitate global collaborative research, and encourage action against climate change while promoting adaptation strategies.
Funding for the research was provided by the Epilepsy Society and the National Brain Appeal Innovation Fund.
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