When Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012, it became one of the most powerful storms to hit the Atlantic region. The storm caused widespread destruction across the U.S. and the Caribbean, claiming over 250 lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. But beyond the visible destruction, new research suggests the storm may have left a lasting mark on children who were still in the womb when it hit.
A team of researchers from Queens College in New York found that children who were exposed to Hurricane Sandy before birth showed differences in brain structure compared to those who were not. The study also suggests that extreme heat during pregnancy may have worsened these effects.
“We believe this is the first time researchers have examined how multiple climate-related stressors during pregnancy can combine to affect brain development,” said Donato Delngeniis, a neuropsychologist and lead author of the study.
The researchers looked at 34 children born in New York City between 2012 and 2013. At the time of the study, these children were around eight years old. Using brain scans, the team measured the volume of gray matter in the basal ganglia — a region of the brain that controls movement, learning, emotions, and habit formation.
Eleven of the children had been in the womb during Hurricane Sandy, while the rest had been conceived either before or after the storm. The study found that children exposed to the storm in the womb had larger volumes in certain parts of the basal ganglia, including the putamen, globus pallidus, and the right caudate nucleus — areas linked to motor skills and cognitive functions.
“Even though these children didn’t directly experience the storm, we can see how climate-related stress during pregnancy may shape brain development,” said Delngeniis. “The increase in brain volume could be linked to behavioral issues later in life.”
The study also examined the role of extreme heat. Seven of the children exposed to the storm, and 17 of those who were not, also experienced at least one day of temperatures above 35°C (95°F) while in the womb. While heat exposure alone did not show significant effects, the combination of extreme heat and storm exposure led to more noticeable brain changes.
According to the analysis, children exposed to both heat and the hurricane had larger left pallidum structures and smaller left nucleus accumbens — a region tied to motivation and action.
“These combined stressors disrupted normal brain development more than either factor alone,” said Yoko Nomura, a behavioral neuroscientist and co-author of the study.
The researchers caution that the study’s small sample size and focus on broad brain structures mean more research is needed. Future studies should examine how different stages of pregnancy or the child’s sex may influence the results.
Still, the findings raise concerns in a world where extreme weather is becoming more frequent.
“These brain scans help us see how environmental stress during pregnancy can reshape a child’s brain,” said neuroscientist Ahmed Duke Shereen from the City University of New York. “Our study shows that the climate crisis is not just about weather — it may also have long-term effects on brain health and future generations.”
The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
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