It has become increasingly apparent that the nervous system, while exhibiting tremendous resilience and plasticity in many circumstances, is susceptible to profound functional deficits as a consequence of environmental perturbations and insults of anthropogenic or natural origins. For example, it is now recognized that consistent disruption of circadian rhythms, because of shift work, is a risk factor for dementia. Also, exposure to immunogenic agents, such as the COVID-19 virus, can induce autoimmune cascades that assault neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
In the context of exponential population growth and emerging technologies, access to healthy environmental conditions has become more limited. Air, water, and soil are subjected to continuous waste influx derived from consumer goods production, urban infrastructure development, energy production, agriculture, and other human activities. Light and noise pollution from urban centers, suburban developments, and hand-held devices disrupts access to normal light/dark cycles that drive circadian rhythms, and may lead to chronic elevated stress. Increased population densities, antibiotic resistance, and emerging pathogens elevate the risk for pathogen exposures and prolonged illnesses. Additionally, access to balanced, non-contaminated nutrition has become more difficult to obtain.
This collection will highlight the impacts of environmental insults that may worsen and/or lead to any disease/disorder of the nervous system. Environmental perturbations and insults may include, but are not limited to air, water, soil or food contamination, pathogen exposure (bacterial, viral, or fungal infections), nutrition, irregular lighting that affects circadian rhythms, and intentional consumption of medications or other xenobiotics.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
