Alaska: As a step toward understanding the effects of global warming on brain health, a recent systematic review analyzed the impact of increasing ambient temperatures on individuals with neurological disorders.
Elevated ambient temperatures were associated with exacerbated symptoms and increased hospitalization and mortality rates in individuals with neurological disorders.
The study also compared the occurrence of neurological disorders in migrants with nonmigrants to assess the potential impact of climate-related migration on brain health.
The effects of migration on neurological disorders were variable, while socioeconomic, cultural, and genetic factors influenced the incidence of brain disorders.
According to a joint editorial published by over 200 medical journals earlier this year, climate change is the greatest threat to global public health.
Major public health organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source, have also voiced similar concerns.
Climate change includes surging temperatures, rising sea levels, and an increase in the strength and frequency of extreme weather events such as flooding, droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires.
Climate change can affectTrusted Source human health in a multitude of ways. Rising temperatures, food scarcity, air pollution, and an increase in infectious diseases are a few ways it can impact human health.
The health effects of climate change are complex and only partially understood, and a more comprehensive understanding is important to help medical professionals provide the necessary care.
A recent systematic review aimed to delineate the impact of global warming on neurological disorders. The study analyzed previous research examining the effects of ambient temperature rises on the occurrence, clinical manifestations, and mortality due to major neurological disorders.
Climate change may render certain parts of the world uninhabitable due to drought, rising temperatures, and other extreme weather events. This will result in the mass displacement of populations, leading to environmental refugees.
The study also analyzed research assessing the occurrence of neurological disorders in migrant populations to understand the potential impact on the brain health of climate-related refugees.
The study found that a rise in ambient temperature due to global warming may lead to worsened symptoms of neurological disorders and result in higher hospitalization and mortality rates.
The effects of migration on the occurrence of neurological disorders were more variable and were also influenced by social, cultural, and economic factors.
However, the authors cautioned that these results were preliminary, and the analyzed studies did not specifically aim to evaluate the impact of climate change on neurological disorders and clinical practice.
The study’s lead author, Daniel Kondziella, a professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, told Medical News Today:
“[This study shows that] there are very good reasons to expect a tremendous negative impact on global brain health within the near future owing to climate change. […] At the same time, there appears to be a fundamental lack of awareness of this problem within the neurological community, as evidenced by the complete absence of appropriately designed research to investigate this problem.” Medical News Today
