May 16 2024University College London
They considered 19 different nervous system conditions, chosen on the basis of the Global Burden of Disease 2016 study, including stroke, migraine, Alzheimer's, meningitis, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. "The climatic variation that was shown to have an effect on brain diseases included extremes of temperature , and greater temperature variation throughout the course of day – especially when these measures were seasonally unusual.
Meanwhile, the team state that people with dementia are susceptible to harm from extremes of temperature and weather events , as cognitive impairment can limit their ability to adapt behaviour to environmental changes. In addition, incidence, hospital admissions, and mortality risk for many mental health disorders are associated with increased ambient temperature, daily fluctuations in temperature, or extreme hot and cold temperatures.
Professor 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 organisations.