The impact of rising global temperatures on neurological diseases

Climate change, driven predominantly by anthropogenic actions, represents a defining challenge of the 21st century. While its general health implications are well documented, the specific impact of global warming on neurological diseases has remained underemphasized for decades.

To evaluate the association between rising global temperatures and the exacerbation or incidence of various neurological conditions through a systematic review.

A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE and SciELO databases for studies published between 2011 and 2026. Following strict eligibility criteria, 13 peer-reviewed articles were selected for qualitative synthesis.

The evidence reveals that rising temperatures are increasingly linked to the worsening of conditions such as epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Specifically, heat exposure is associated with higher hospitalization rates and acute symptom exacerbation, such as Uhthoff's phenomenon in MS and autonomic thermoregulatory failure in Parkinson's. Although some geographic and methodological discrepancies exist, particularly regarding stroke and seizure frequency, the overall trend indicates increased neurological vulnerability to thermal stress.

While research is expanding, neurological diseases remain an understudied frontier of the climate crisis. Targeted scientific investigation and robust public health strategies are imperative to mitigate the emerging neurological risks of a warming planet.