Home Temperature May Affect Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Global temperatures are on the rise and have been associated with cognitive decline in older adults. A recent longitudinal observational study published in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A zoomed in on these effects indoors. It found that adults aged 65 years or older reported less difficulty maintaining attention on daily tasks when their home ambient temperature was 20 °C to 24 °C (68 °F-75 °F). But the likelihood of such cognitive difficulties doubled with a 4 °C (7 °F) increase or decrease from this range.