Where Brain Health Meets Climate Action

In this perspective, GBHI community members Walt Dawson, Harris Eyre, Aníbal Gutiérrez Torres, Mataa Mataa and Mindy Matice consider how the intersection of brain health and climate action is crucial in an era where the well-being of our minds and the health of our planet are deeply interconnected.

In a world where the health of our brains and the health of our planet are increasingly interconnected, we recently led a course titled "Brain Infrastructure: Economic, Policy, and Diplomacy Implications" in the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health program. This course, instructed by two of the authors, Harris Eyre, instructor at GBHI and head of the Neuro-Policy Program at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, and Walt Dawson, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health (2018) and Assistant Professor at Oregon Health & Science University, explored how brain science and climate action intersect.

Brain science studies how the brain works and affects our behavior, cognition, emotions, and well-being. It also helps us understand the modern economy, which is shaped by human decisions, interactions, and innovations. We emphasized that we are transitioning to an economy reliant on human cognitive resilience. This new "brain economy" requires global coordination to benefit people, economies, and nature.

Climate change is the ultimate borderless brain health threat.

—The Authors

Brain Capital and Climate Change

Brain capital is an economic asset that prioritizes brain health and skills to achieve socio-economic goals. Our collective brainpower is not just a prosperity asset but also a global security one. We highlighted how climate change and environmental degradation impact brain health, featuring insights from Burcin Ikiz, Founder of the International Neuro Climate Working Group. The course showcased the practical application of economics, policy, and diplomacy in addressing these issues.

One of the scientific advances we discussed was the "aeromicrobiome"—the idea that walking in green parks and forests enriches our gut microbiome by inhaling bacteria from the soil. This interaction is associated with reduced inflammation and improved brain function. Emerging evidence suggests that the climate crisis affects neurological and mental health more than previously thought, with children being particularly vulnerable. Their developing brains and bodies make them more susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change. Studies indicate that even fetuses exposed to climate-linked pollutants through their mothers can face lifelong neurodevelopmental challenges.

Adults, too, are not immune. Extreme heat has been shown to worsen symptoms for those with neurological and mental conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and substance use disorders. Additionally, air pollution from wildfires and industrial activities is linked to a higher risk of strokes, cognitive decline, and dementia. A recent Neuron paper led by Agustin Ibanez, Atlantic Fellow (2018), assessed the interplay among exposome, One Health, and brain capital, highlighting research gaps and strategies in policy and technology to protect brain health.

Bridging Disciplinary and Geographic Boundaries

This course developed from a broader brain health diplomacy project aimed at bridging disciplinary and geographic boundaries to promote equitable brain health outcomes. We stressed that climate change is the ultimate borderless brain health threat. The green transition requires a focus on brain health. We must stop and reverse the loss of brain capital in communities, foundational to the green economy transition.

Participants in the course reflected on how climate change could be addressed within frameworks for improving brain health in their countries. Mataa Mataa, an Atlantic Fellow (2023) and neurologist from Zambia, noted that many people in his country face food insecurity and electricity blackouts due to droughts. These challenges affect children's education and families' ability to find safe drinking water. To combat these issues, Mataa emphasized the need for education on how deforestation leads to poor rainfall and crop yields. Practical solutions, such as converting livestock waste into biogas and promoting solar power, are essential.

The course also emphasized the broader need for prevention in brain health, highlighted by Aníbal Gutiérrez Torres, an Atlantic Fellow (2023) and geriatrician from Mexico. While treating neurodegenerative diseases has seen progress, prevention through managing modifiable risk factors offers the most substantial long-term benefits. This requires creating healthy environments via brain health infrastructure, such as pollution control, public health policies, and access to nutritious diets.

Developing brain capital globally is essential, requiring deliberate policies that link brain health with climate action. Prioritizing education and reducing risk factors across the life course can help create a resilient future. Addressing climate change demands a multidisciplinary approach, involving all sectors—especially health and economics—to shift from documenting its effects to implementing measures that protect both our planet and collective well-being.