A scientific journal titled ‘Nature climate Change’ that collaborated with academicians around the globe published a report that says climate change will trigger changes in brain functions too. Climate change has been seen to affect animal behavior and nature and drastic weather changes. But latest studies say along with weather changes, animal behavior, human brain function will also be affected by climate change.
Dr. Kimberly C. Doell, the lead author of the paper who works under University of Vienna says, “We’ve long known that factors in our environment can lead to changes in the brain. Yet we’re only just beginning to look at how climate change, the greatest global threat of our time, might change our brains.”
Mouse studies have revealed that change in environmental factors can lead to changes in plasticity and development of the brain. Dr. Doell says that due to recurring changes in weather events along with other factors like rise in air pollution or anxiety about climate change, its very important to understand the changes these have on a person’s brain.
These factors might be impacting our brain functions that need to be observed and take note of. “Only then can we start to find ways to mitigate these changes,” she adds. It is only recently that policymakers and scientists have started to focus on climate change impact on health. In the G20 session that was held in India on September 2022, this issue was discussed extensively among leaders.
By 2050, WHO estimated climate change will affect health of people to such extent that 250,000 people will die every year due to heat, malaria, diarrhea and under-nutrition.
In the events of changing weather like hurricanes, typhoons, floods, droughts and rising sea level due to climate change, it was bound to affect humans the most. But the new study also mentions that along with change in nature we need to take note of our brain functionality to cope with climate change effects. Our brain is also impacted by climate change, hence understanding of neuroscience is crucial to find ways to protect our brain against climate change.
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