Conditions such as dementia, epilepsy, and depression may spread and worsen as the world heats up. In the study, researchers from University College London analyzed the neuroscience literature to identify how extreme heat and natural disasters caused by climate change affect key neurological diseases and mental health disorders. Bloomberg writes about it, UNN reports .
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Scientists have found that environmental factors not only affect the prevalence of diseases, but can also increase the risk of hospitalization, disability, and even death.
The impact of climate change on health is well understood, especially when it comes to infectious and respiratory diseases. But it also has a negative impact on neurological health, as the process of regulating body temperature appears to be a key factor in the surge in conditions caused by extreme heat.
To function properly, the brain must be kept within a relatively narrow temperature range
He added, "if the brain is diseased, the brain's ability to thermoregulate is impaired. Take someone with a neurological disease and put them in a wave of extreme heat, you can see how that can make their neurological disease worse.
More research is needed on the exact mechanism linking neurological disorders to high temperatures, Sisodia added. As extreme weather conditions worsen and become more common, it is becoming increasingly vital to find out the exact link, especially for the youngest, oldest and most vulnerable populations.
For the new study, researchers reviewed 332 reports on environmental exposures to 19 neurological diseases with the highest disease burden, including Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, migraines, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and meningitis.