Research into how climate change and air pollution affect the developing brain has grown exponentially in recent decades.
A r eport published in October 2023 and released by the American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica found "prenatal impacts of climate change can derail the normal development of physiological systems, cognitive abilities and emotional skills in ways that are sometimes irreversible."
The report goes on to note that the "impacts on the fetus can include greater risk of developmental regression, anxiety or depressive disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, lower scores on activity and extraversion levels, and lower levels of self-control, as well as risk of psychiatric disorders later in life."
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder beginning in childhood and characterized by behavioral symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity at age-inappropriate levels, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Although researchers are in the nascent stages of studying the impacts of climate change on brain development, it should come as no surprise that much like cigarette smoke, drugs and toxicants, climate change can have an impact on brain development, notes Edward Levin, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He also has a secondary appointment in the Nicholas School of the Environment.
Levin says when we think about climate change, we need to think beyond just the weather to those environmental toxicants that are causing environmental changes, as well as those released due to climate-related events.
"I would argue that chemical pollution should be a part of that conversation in terms of climate change, it's more of environmental change," says Levin. "I think it's a broader problem than just climate, you know, just how warm it is or how much rain we get. Climate change is a broader conversation regarding basically fouling our nests."
That "fouling of our nest" can impact how our brains are wired, says Theodore Slotkin, a professor of pharmacology and cancer biology who studies the interaction of drugs, hormones and environmental factors, emphasizing the fetal and neonatal nervous system.
"I would argue that chemical pollution should be a part of that conversation in terms of climate change, it's more of environmental change."
Edward Levin, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
Though Slotkin doesn't specifically study neurodiversity - i.e., ADHD or autism - he studies the structure and function of the brain and how neurotoxins impact its ability to work properly.
During fetal development, exposure to even small amounts of toxicants can have an impact on a child's brain health. When toxicants disrupt brain development, ADHD may be more likely to occur.
