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Dr Clíona Farrell - It’s getting (too) hot in here; the climate crisis and brain health
Episode 69619th May 2026 • Dementia Researcher Blogs • Dementia Researcher
00:00:00 00:07:09

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Dr Clíona Farrell narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.

Clíona writes from this year's Hot Brain conference, an annual meeting hosted by UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The Lancet Neurology that asks what the climate crisis is doing to our brains. She walks through what's already known (air pollution is now a recognised modifiable risk factor for dementia), what's emerging (people with dementia were among the leading causes of excess deaths during the 2022 UK heatwave), and the questions still wide open. She also covers thermoregulation research, the case for saunas and hot-water immersion as protective strategies, and a quietly important methodological point for every lab: stop writing "room temperature" in your methods section. A blog for anyone who has been quietly despairing about the climate and wondering what it has to do with dementia research.

https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-its-getting-too-hot-in-here-the-climate-crisis-brain-health/

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Dr Clíona Farrell is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone.

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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

This podcast is brought to you by University College London in association with the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

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