Extreme cold and air pollution can increase seizures

Research conducted in Lleida has identified a significant relationship between environmental factors-such as temperature and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) pollution-and the frequency of hospital admissions for epileptic seizures over a ten-year period (2010-2019) in the province of Lleida. The study, recently published in Frontiers in Public Health, provides epidemiological evidence that reinforces the need to include environmental indicators in the study and prevention of epileptic seizures.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects tens of millions of people worldwide and is characterised by recurrent seizures due to abnormal neuronal discharges. While the underlying causes of epilepsy are diverse, there is growing scientific interest in how non-genetic external factors, such as climate and air quality, may influence its clinical manifestation. The analysis includes 4,755 hospital admissions for epileptic seizures recorded in Lleida over a decade and relates them to daily records of meteorological variables and atmospheric pollutants.

The results show that very low temperatures (below the 2.5th percentile of the series) and high NO₂ concentrations (above the 99th percentile) are associated with an up to 40-42% increase in the relative risk of epileptic seizures, even after adjusting for seasonal trends and other confounding factors.
The research team comprises investigators from the Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (IRBLleida) and the University of Lleida (UdL). The study employs advanced statistical models to capture the immediate effect and any potential delays in the impact of environmental exposure on admissions. This allows for the identification of underlying patterns in the relationship between environmental conditions and neurological crises.

"These results suggest that, beyond traditional clinical factors, changes in the climate and air pollution levels could act as triggers for epileptic seizures and, therefore, should be considered in both research and public health strategies for vulnerable populations," explained the article's first author and researcher at the ERLab group, which researches emergency and urgent care, Cecilia Llobet. The researchers also call for additional studies to be carried out to understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and to evaluate preventive measures that could mitigate these environmental effects.

Article: Llobet C, Martinez-Alonso M, Justribó E, Ortet J, Yuguero O. Seizures, climate and pollution: is there evidence of an association? Front Public Health. 2025 Nov 13;13:1708538. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1708538. PMID: 41323586; PMCID: PMC12658456.