Climate change is increasingly posing a significant threat to brain health, as rising temperatures and environmental stressors contribute to the growing burden of neurological health conditions. Neurological conditions, including migraines, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease, impact roughly one in three individuals across their lifespan, based on estimates cited by neurologist Ulf Kallweit, who serves as co-chair of the environmental influences task force at the European Academy of Neurology. Together with mental health conditions, these accounted for an estimated global economic burden of €1.5 trillion in 2019.
“Everybody is somehow affected or knows somebody who is affected by a neurological disorder,” Kallweit said Health while speaking at the European Health Forum Gastein. He warned that as climate change pushes temperatures upward, the situation may worsen, intensifying current ailments and possibly raising the likelihood of new neurological disorders. However, this path is not fixed; lawmakers can mitigate the danger by adopting actions that cut down heat and pollutant exposure and by enhancing living environments.
High temperatures raise stroke risk
One of the clearest concerns is the relationship between high temperatures and stroke. The number of stroke cases rises as temperatures climb above 30°C, Kallweit said, warning that heat-related strokes, which currently account for around 1% of all stroke cases, could represent 5 to 8% within the next 20 to 30 years.
Raised temperatures may also impair brain health by disturbing sleep. During tropical nights—when nighttime temperatures stay above 20°C—the body struggles to shed heat, which can disrupt deep sleep and hinder proper overnight recovery. “Everybody who experienced the last summer knows that sleep gets worse in these kind of heat nights,” Kallweit said. Ongoing sleep loss could be more hazardous than occasional restless nights. “If you don’t sleep well, not maybe one night, but for a longer time, there’s a huge increase, let’s say, for the risk of getting a stroke or also becoming demented,” he added.
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Warmer climates are shifting the habitats of certain infectious diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes, and some of these pathogens can affect the nervous system. For instance, Lyme borreliosis, carried by infected ticks, may lead to neurological complications. Malaria continues to be mentioned when debating the potential expansion of mosquito-transmitted diseases across Europe.
“Malaria is still not fully on yet there, but maybe in five or 10 years it may also affect us in southern parts of Europe,” Kallweit said.
Living conditions shape brain health
Children, pregnant women, seniors and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions are especially at risk from extreme heat and related environmental stresses. Living in under-resourced neighborhoods amplifies these hazards. Recent studies indicate that residents of socio-economically deprived areas show poorer brain-health markers, including reduced overall brain volume and increased signs of vascular injury.
Urban settings play a key role, as noise, pollution and stressful living conditions can undermine well-being. “Going out to the forest one hour per week decreases your stroke risk by 3% or dementia risk by 4%,” Kallweit said.
