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Study: Climate Events Impact Children's Brain Development

6/15/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A groundbreaking study from CUNY Graduate Center uncovers a startling truth: prenatal exposure to extreme climate events, such as Superstorm Sandy, can reshape brain development in children. MRI scans of 8-year-olds revealed enlarged areas linked to emotion regulation, a direct consequence of the stress and heat their mothers endured during pregnancy. This research underscores the profound, lasting effects of climate change on our children’s futures.

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Story summary

A groundbreaking study from CUNY Graduate Center uncovers a startling truth: prenatal exposure to extreme climate events, such as Superstorm Sandy, can reshape brain development in children. MRI scans of 8-year-olds revealed enlarged areas linked to emotion regulation, a direct consequence of the stress and heat their mothers endured during pregnancy. This research underscores the profound, lasting effects of climate change on our children’s futures.