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Our recent investigations revealed that climate change was making the symptoms of a few brain diseases worse. The rise in temperature and humidity could have an impact on the states of dementia, migraine, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and meningitis, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Environmental stress factors, such as high temperatures and humidity, are regulated by the brain by prompting perspiration and signaling us to look for shady spots. Within our craniums, neuron billions function as adaptive electrical processors. Then many neuronal elements have their speed dependent on temperature; generally, they provide next to each other only in a very narrow temperature range.
Human beings and minds went through several evolution cycles within the confined limits over thousands of years just to operate best in the most basic sense. We basically feel best when the temperature ranges from 20°C to 26°C and the humidity is between 20% and 80%. Apparently, some brain segments are already performing very close to the theoretical optimum temperature. In addition to those detection ranges, even slight variations in temperature affect our body thermostat, and the brain ceases to function properly.
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There are some brain diseases that defy the body’s temperature regulation by sweating, while some neurological medications limit its ability to react, which in turn retards sweating and the central brain’s temperature control. It becomes worse in heat waves, which disrupt the sleep cycle and increase the occurrence of epileptic attacks. Similarly, what may be brought on by excessive heat events is also having the blood thicker than it normally is, increasing the chance of getting clots and stroke. Additionally, crossed wires also work poorly in very high temperatures, which explains the exacerbation of the multiple sclerosis symptoms.
Climate change constitutes a serious concern, as it is likely to affect people with neurological conditions and brain diseases. It is worth noting that higher degrees of temperature are directly linked to increased admissions to medical hospitals for dementia. In epilepsy cases, seizure control can be aggravated in some instances; the symptoms may get worse in people suffering from multiple sclerosis; and the incidence of stroke increases with cardiac arrest. Furthermore, it is psychiatric disorders when the vulnerable groups of these disorders, e.g., schizophrenia in particular, exacerbate with climate change; this leads to hospitalizations.
Heatwaves, storms, and floods are the main causes of extreme weather and can even exacerbate these neurological health threats. Urban heat island effects and a deficiency of green space also give rise to a high risk of heatstroke. The magnitude of the gradation is not to be overlooked: about 60 million people have the condition of epilepsy, while the forecast for the present situation is for 55 million people to have dementia, which is expected to rise to 150 million by 2050. Stroke is the second-highest cause of death and disability on a global scale.
Of course, dealing with climate change in the first place is of the utmost importance and requires the joint participation of governments and political entities. Alas, this will take years to suffice, though. However, while waiting for weather risk information resources to be developed, there are some ways in which the health of neurological patients can be improved, such as by making available information on risks, counseling on risk reduction strategies, adapting local weather-health systems to serve the needs of people with neurological illnesses, and pooling efforts with the concerned communities so that alerts are implemented quickly.
Otherwise, we may burn all the money they invest in the development of new and improved brain health procedures. It may seem ironic, but it’s the truth. Neurological disorders offer these insights, which would be critical for healthy brains that exceed the restrictions of evolution. The peculiarity of our existence is that we are dependent on the correct functioning of our brains. Therefore, we must start acting on climate change risks and do so before the ever-overheating planet produces the impression of a dangerous and stressful environment.
