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Over 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed each year, and scientists now say that people living in certain climatic conditions are at a greater risk than others of developing this neurodegenerative condition.

Higher temperatures pose a growing threat to brain health, and climate change is bringing more frequent, intense and prolonged heat waves. Older adults are particularly vulnerable because their bodies have a harder time regulating temperature, and certain medications can further impair their ability to cope with extreme heat.

In a recent study, researchers from the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology in the U.S. explored whether prolonged exposure to extreme outdoor heat could raise older adults' risk of developing dementia, and whether socioeconomic factors and access to resources also shape that risk.

Over a five-year period, older adults exposed to days when the heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to measure how hot it feels, reached at least 103°F (39.4°C) had a higher relative risk of developing dementia than those with the lowest exposure, even if they experienced such extreme heat for only a few days each year. The risk is about 26% higher among seniors living in socially vulnerable neighborhoods and 20% higher in communities with limited access to central air conditioning.

Extreme heat can take a toll on the brain, both physically and psychologically.

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