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Environmental Exposures and Stroke Risk: Converging Pathways, Unequal Burdens, and Prevention Opportunities
Muaz Ali1, Whitney Mayberry1, Rebecca Achey2
1Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL, USA.
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports
|July 22, 2026
Summary
Environmental exposures like air pollution and extreme heat significantly increase stroke risk. Understanding these factors, including social inequities, is crucial for prevention and future research focusing on combined exposures.
Area of Science:
- Environmental health
- Neurology
- Public health
Background:
- Environmental factors are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to stroke risk.
- Understanding these exposures is vital for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current scientific evidence on environmental exposures and their impact on stroke risk.
- To highlight key environmental determinants including air pollution, thermal stress, and socioeconomic factors.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and synthesis of recent research findings.
- Analysis of epidemiological data linking environmental exposures to stroke incidence and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Consistent associations found between air pollution (PM₂.₅, wildfire smoke) and increased stroke risk.
- Extreme heat and humidity identified as acute stroke triggers; noise, light, and work disruption show plausible links.
- Protective effects suggested for greener, walkable environments; social disadvantage exacerbates risk.
Conclusions:
- Environmental exposures, particularly pollution and heat, are critical stroke risk factors.
- Combined exposures and environmental inequities play a significant role in stroke risk and prevention.
- Future research should adopt combined-exposure models and focus on intervention strategies.
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