Heat exposure during pregnancy and infancy may influence children's brain development

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A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health finds that exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy and infancy is linked to slower growth of the thalamus in children, indicating lasting effects on brain development. The research highlights the importance of early life environmental conditions on neurological health.

Exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy and early infancy is associated with slower growth of the thalamus later in childhood, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation. The findings, published in Environment International, suggest that heat exposure during the earliest stages of life may have lasting effects on brain development.