BEERSHEBA — A study conducted by Soroka University Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University has established a link between air pollution, extreme climate conditions, and an increase in migraine attacks among adults. The findings of this research were published in the journal Neurology under the title "Acute environmental triggers and intermediate-term modulators of emergency migraine-related health care encounters."
The study analyzed data from 7,032 adult migraine patients residing in the Beersheba area between 2000 and 2023. Researchers utilized ambient air pollution and meteorological data obtained from the Environmental Protection Ministry monitoring network.
Exposure to daily air pollution, including nitrogen dioxide from traffic and fine particulate matter from smoke, industry, and dust, was linked to an increase in headaches. In the short term, increased air pollution levels and solar radiation were linked with a higher risk of an acute migraine attack leading to urgent treatment requests. Cumulative exposure to air pollutants over time was also linked with an increase in the frequency and severity of migraines.
Gal Ifergan, director of the neurology department at Soroka, said, "Prevalence is about three times higher in women than in men, and the median age for a first migraine attack is 23.2 for women and 25.5 for men." He added, "There's a biological tendency to get migraines, but we showed from our data that air pollution is also a major factor. Paris may in the years to come have the climate of the Negev, and they don't have air conditioning as Israelis do."
Clinical researcher Ido Peles said, "We see that the environment plays a dual role – on the one hand, conditions such as heat and humidity affect sensitivity over time, and on the other hand, sharp increases in air pollution can serve as an immediate trigger for an attack. A better understanding of these connections could in the future allow for the prediction of high-risk days and help patients prepare in advance." Researchers suggested that environmental risk alerts could be delivered through messaging applications or integrated into migraine-prediction software to align treatment with exposure dynamics.
The research team was led by Dr. Ido Peles, in collaboration with Prof. Lena Novak, Dr. Michal Gordon, Prof. Batya Sarov, and Prof. Ifergan. Ifergan has served as director of the neurology department at Soroka since 2012. The study population was covered by the Clalit Health Services health fund, which insures approximately 70% of Beersheba residents. Migraine episodes were identified through healthcare encounters and pharmacy data. Only 46.7% of patients in the study used triptans.
The climate in the Beersheba area is characterized by hot, dry summers, mild winters, and large daily temperature variations. Researchers plan to expand their work to identify factors that might offer protection against migraines, such as specific architectural types and proximity to parks. Estimates suggest 14% of the global population suffers from migraines, while Israeli National Health Interview Surveys indicate 6.8% to 9.9% of Israeli adults experience them. Ifergan said, "The attacks usually start in a person's 20s, but they can suddenly appear in the elderly. Women with migraines who have passed menopause usually find that they suffer less, thus hinting at the hormonal factors that make it more common in younger women."