Dementia, Parkinson’s and other diseases made worse by climate change

this UN climate summit This Sunday ended with a “victory” for developing countries in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, as agreement was reached on the creation of the first funding for costs the effects climate change.

This is a historic demand from the “most vulnerable” countries that have suffered the most from climate damage and have barely contributed to it. However, the summit was also a “disappointment” for the EU. because a “strong language” for mitigation has not been adopted (reduction of polluting emissions).

The effects of climate change are devastating for the environment, but can also harm our health. This is demonstrated by a scientific review published in ‘Neurology’. people with neurological diseases such as headaches, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’sthey may experience worsening of symptoms due to climate change, which may make strokes more frequent.

“In search of the international community reducing global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius “Irreversible environmental changes occurred before 2100 and will continue to happen as the planet warms,” ​​said Andrew Dhawan of the American Academy of Neurology.

Dhawan added: “As We are witnessing the effects of global warming in human health, It is imperative that neurologists predict how neurological diseases may change.”

How does it affect the worsening of weather diseases?

For review, researchers analyzed published studies on climate changepollutants, extreme temperatures, and neurological diseases between 1990 and 2022. 364 related studies in three categories289 articles on the impact of pollution, 38 on extreme weather events and temperature fluctuations, and 37 on emerging neuroinfectious diseases. They only included research on adults, not children.

He emphasized the relationships between studies. temperature variability and worsening neurological symptomswarm climates and the rate and severity of tick and mosquito-borne infections, as well as airborne pollutants and cerebrovascular disease.

Scientific review shows that extreme weather events and temperature fluctuations The incidence and severity of stroke were associated with migraine headaches, hospitalization in people with dementia, and worsening of multiple sclerosis.

indicates for. neuroinfectious diseases Emerging diseases such as West Nile virus, meningococcal meningitis and tick-borne encephalitis, climate change is pushing favorable conditions beyond traditional geographic areas, and these animal and insect-borne diseases pose risks to new populations.

The review also highlights that: exposure to pollutants Airborne, particularly nitrates and fine particles, are associated with the incidence and severity of strokes, headaches, risk of dementia, worsening of Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

“Climate change is on the rise many challenges for humanitySome are not well studied,” Dhawan said. “More studies are needed. Ways to reduce transmission of neuroinfectious diseasess, how air pollution affects the nervous system and how to improve neurological care delivery in the face of air-related disruptions,” he concluded.