Urban heat exposure patterns and domain-specific executive function in adolescents

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Neuroscience
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Rising urban temperatures present risks to adolescent neurodevelopment.
• Specific heat exposure patterns and their effects on executive function (EF) are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between residential daytime land surface temperature (LSTD) and objective EF performance in Chinese urban adolescents.
• To examine how different heat exposure metrics (minimum, mean, maximum LSTD) influence specific EF domains.

Main Methods:

• Utilized high-resolution satellite data (MODIS MOD11A2) to derive LSTD metrics.
• Assessed core executive functions (working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibition) using computerized tasks in 3,752 adolescents.
• Employed generalized linear mixed models to analyze associations, considering environmental factors and demographics.

Main Results:

• Higher LSTD was linked to impaired working memory and cognitive flexibility, but not inhibition.
• LSTD_min showed pervasive effects, LSTD_mean had the strongest impact on complex tasks, and LSTD_max affected only cognitive flexibility.
• Green space attenuated heat's impact on cognitive flexibility; SO2 pollution exacerbated working memory deficits.
• Associations were stronger in boys and adolescents with higher parental education.

Conclusions:

• The cognitive impact of urban heat varies by exposure pattern, behavioral adaptation, and environmental context.
• Chronic routine heat exposure is a significant threat to adolescent cognitive function.
• Urban greening is a promising neuroprotective strategy for climate adaptation.