Warm Temperatures May Harm Cognition in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Although the disease process in multiple sclerosis often becomes more active during warmer months, scientists have now found that warmer outdoor temperatures may impair the cognition of individuals with multiple sclerosis as well. The study, which appeared March 7 in Neurology, included 40 individuals with multiple sclerosis and 40 healthy controls over a calendar year. The former were found to perform significantly worse on tasks involving processing speed and memory on warmer days than on cooler ones. This was not the case for healthy controls.

Other studies have also suggested that various weather and climate factors can unfavorably impact mental health. For example, in one study, scientists linked suicides with a lower barometric pressure and with air pollutants such as sulfur and ozone. For more information about this study, see Psychiatric News .

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