Mold is a type of fungus that has been found on the surface of the earth for millions of years. They can get inside your home through open doors, windows, and air conditioning systems. Inhaling mold spores or coming into contact with mold can have severe adverse effects on your health. Beyond physical symptoms like headache and allergic symptoms, it can have a significant impact on the brain and nervous system. Symptoms may vary, from mild headaches to more severe issues like memory loss or difficulty walking. While it can affect anybody, certain groups like children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to these effects.

How can mold impact your neurological health?

Mold, such as Cladophialophora bantiana, can cause infections in the brain and spinal cord, leading to serious conditions like central nervous system (CNS) infections. While such infections are rare, they can be life-threatening.

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals produced by certain mold types. These toxins can be released into the air when mold grows indoors, and breathing them in can have direct harmful effects on brain function. Studies indicate that mycotoxins may interfere with the nervous system’s communication pathways, leading to cognitive issues such as memory problems and mood swings.

In fact, long exposure to mold can lead to a variety of neurological symptoms, which can differ depending on an individual’s health and the severity of the mold exposure. Some of them are:

Headaches are one of the most frequent symptoms of mold exposure. While most of the time, these headaches are described as dull, constant, or pressure-like, they can sometimes mimic migraines, accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light and sound.

Exposure to molds can also trigger seizures. Mold produces toxic substances like mycotoxins that may disrupt the brain’s electrical activity, leading to seizure episodes.

Mold exposure can cause brain fog, which results in concentration, memory, and mental clarity. Studies suggest that mycotoxins can disrupt normal brain function, making it challenging to process information and think clearly.

Exposure to this fungus can also lead to emotional problems. People with this kind of exposure have complained of anxiety, depression, irritability, and sudden mood swings. This could be due to mold toxins interfering with brain chemicals responsible for regulating emotions.

Mold exposure may trigger inflammation, leading to muscle and joint pain. In case of prolonged exposure, it could lead to the development or worsening of fibromyalgia or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

In some cases, mold exposure may lead to tremors, difficulty walking, or problems with muscle coordination. These issues may be linked to mycotoxins affecting the brain or nervous system.

Mold exposure can impact the brain areas responsible for movement and balance, making it harder to stand, walk, or perform fine motor tasks. Individuals may feel unsteady or experience difficulty using devices like phones or computers.

Delirium is a condition wherein a person experiences confusion or disorientation. An abnormal immune response to mold could contribute to this condition. Delirium can make it difficult for individuals to think clearly or understand their surroundings.

Every winter, people in Delhi prepare themselves for stinging eyes, tight chests and coughs that refuse to go away as thick smog blankets the city. Now, fresh research from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) suggests there is another hidden danger in the polluted air. According to the study, Delhi’s winter smog may also be carrying antibiotic-resistant bacteria, adding to health worries in one of the most polluted cities on the planet.

The research, titled Distribution and antibiotic resistance patterns of airborne staphylococci in urban environments of Delhi, India, was published in Nature – Scientific Reports. It found disturbingly high levels of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” in both indoor and outdoor air across the city, particularly in winter when pollution levels spike. The findings point to polluted air acting as a possible vehicle for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which experts already consider one of the gravest global health threats.

Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs In Delhi Air Polluton: What Did The Study Investigate?

As per Indian Express, to understand what people might be breathing in, the researchers collected air samples from a range of everyday locations across Delhi, such as:

• Crowded market areas
• Urban slum neighbourhoods
• Residential apartments
• A sewage treatment plant located within the JNU campus

Both indoor and outdoor air samples were taken during summer, monsoon and winter to track how bacterial levels and resistance patterns shifted with the seasons.

Across every setting, airborne bacteria levels were far above the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit for microbial exposure. In some winter samples, bacterial counts exceeded 16,000 colony-forming units per cubic metre, which is more than 16 times higher than the WHO guideline.

What raised even greater concern was the type of bacteria detected. Many belonged to the Staphylococcus group, which includes strains linked to skin infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections and illnesses commonly acquired in hospitals.

According to the researchers, a large share of the airborne bacteria were identified as methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), meaning they do not respond to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Among these:

1. 73 per cent were multidrug-resistant, showing resistance to several classes of antibiotics
2. Many were resistant to macrolides, beta-lactams, trimethoprim, gentamicin and other commonly used drugs
3. Genetic analysis confirmed the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)

Notably, 14 out of 36 multidrug-resistant samples carried the mecA gene, a well-known marker that makes bacteria resistant to methicillin and related antibiotics.

Why Is Winter Smog Linked To Drug-Resistant Bacteria?

The study showed that levels of airborne drug-resistant bacteria were highest in winter, while monsoon rains led to a sharp drop in outdoor contamination.

Researchers point to a few likely reasons:

• Poor air movement in winter traps pollutants and microbes near ground level
• High levels of particulate matter may give bacteria surfaces to cling to and spread
• Cooler temperatures and lower humidity allow bacteria to survive longer in the air

On the other hand, rainfall during the monsoon appears to clear bioaerosols from the air, reducing bacterial concentrations outdoors.

Who Is Most At Risk From Airborne Superbugs?

Many healthy people may breathe in these bacteria without becoming sick. However, the risk is much higher for:

• People with weakened immune systems
• Those living with chronic lung conditions
• Individuals with open wounds
• Older adults and young children

The researchers note that inhaling drug-resistant bacteria does not automatically lead to infection. Still, it raises the risk of infections that are harder to treat, especially if the bacteria manage to enter vulnerable parts of the body.

Researchers say consuming excessive short-form videos on social media may lead to 'brain rot' and cause cognitive decline, increase the risk of depression and worsen behavior in young children and adults.

Named as the 2024 Oxford University Word Of The Year, 'brain rot' is defined as the supposed deterioration of a person’s intellectual state due to overconsumption of low-quality online content such as TikTok videos, Instagram reels and YouTube Shorts.

Until now, brain rot was considered to be merely internet slang but now multiple studies show that the condition can, indeed, impact overall brain health and pave the way for neurodegenerative diseases.

According to a literature review published in Psychological Bulletin, a journal of the American Psychological Association, scientists found links between heavy consumption of such videos and increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and loneliness.

Additionally, the September 2025 study also found that extreme intake of short form videos (SFVs) can worsen cognitive functioning and weakening emotional control as well as regulation.

Moreover, an October 2025 study from Capella University, Minneapolis which summarized 14 studies on SFVs discovered that people who regularly watch videos, ranging between 15 to 60 seconds, were prone to developing 'TikTok Brain' and suffered from low attention spans.

The review noted, "Reports from educators and parents describe teens struggling to focus in class or during prolonged tasks, behavior changes often attributed to constant stimulation from social media scrolling."

Based on these results, Keith Robert Head, a doctoral student in social work at Capella University and study author commented, "So one of the questions that would be interesting for researchers to study is: Are these ADHD diagnoses actually ADHD, or is it an impact from the continued use of short-form video?"

But Some Doctors Disagree

James Jackson, a neuropsychologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center told NBC News, "The narrative that the only people who are worried about this are grumpy old grandpas who are yelling at you to get off their lawn or the idea that if you’re concerned about this you’re not in step with the times, I think that’s really simplistic."

He also noted that SFVs can be useful through the opportunities it creates for learning as well as community-building and social media users should seek to maintain a balance.

“There are people that engage with short-form videos in ways that are value-added, for sure. But if their engagement is pulling them away from other, more healthy opportunities, if it is isolating them from other people, if it is creating situations where they’re less and less likely to just sit around and be bored, I think that’s a problem," he said.

What now?

She further noted that it may take many years of study to determine whether cognitive changes associated with SFVs consumption are reversible and whether they can qualify as an 'addiction'

“It might be too early to claim universal doom,” Gupta said. “The research for alcohol, cigarettes and drugs took 75 years or more to develop. But I would be surprised if, in the next five to 10 years, we do not have similar signs validating the moral panic that we have around short-form videos.”

The UK is slowly emerging from a widespread outbreak of so-called “super flu” that has pushed hospital admissions for influenza to record highs for this point in the year. The scale of the outbreak has prompted serious concern within the NHS, with National Medical Director Professor Meghana Pandit describing the situation as a potential “worst-case scenario for this time of year”.

Even as flu cases continue to circulate, health specialists are cautioning that other diseases could gain ground in 2026 and may carry pandemic potential. Experts say a combination of falling vaccination rates, emerging virus mutations and rising food insecurity could create the conditions for further large-scale outbreaks. Below is a closer look at the diseases spreading in the UK that doctors believe could pose serious risks in the coming year.

Falling Vaccinations Raise Alarm Over Preventable Diseases

Influenza, rubella and mpox are among the infections doctors are most concerned about heading into 2026. Data shows childhood vaccination uptake fell to its lowest level in 15 years earlier in 2025. This drop has already had visible effects, with measles outbreaks reported across parts of England, largely among unvaccinated children under the age of 11.

Experts warn that rubella, once nearly eliminated in the UK, could return due to reduced uptake of the MMR vaccine. Sometimes called a Victorian-era disease, rubella has remained rare for decades, but falling immunity levels may allow it to resurface, as per Mirror.

At the same time, health officials are closely monitoring a recombinant strain of mpox that has raised global concern. The mutated virus is spreading internationally, increasing fears that further variants could develop.

Beyond specific infections, researchers also point to food insecurity as a growing and often overlooked threat to public health. Malnutrition weakens immune systems and leaves populations more vulnerable to infectious disease, according to Jess Boxall, Research Fellow in Public Health and Nutrition at the University of Southampton.

She told the Mirror that research conducted in rural Ghana found many people were unable to access a varied diet essential for good health and immunity. In some communities, up to 90 percent of households were food insecure. Globally, around one in three people face food insecurity, including roughly 11 percent of households in the UK, showing that the issue affects both developing and wealthy nations.

Mpox

A new strain of the mpox virus was identified in the UK earlier this month, with health officials warning that it has the potential to cause severe illness.

Previously known as monkeypox, the virus belongs to the same family as smallpox and spreads through close physical contact, as well as coughing and sneezing. The latest mutation is a blend of two previously recognised strains and has been described by doctors as exactly the type of development experts feared. The case was detected in someone who had recently returned to the UK from Asia.

Dr Michael Head, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Southampton, said the disease was once considered rare but has become increasingly common following repeated outbreaks worldwide.

“Mpox outbreaks continue in many countries, including parts of Europe such as Spain,” he told the Mirror. “New strains are emerging, and it is becoming clear that a virus which was once very uncommon is now likely to remain with us globally.”

Symptoms: Headache, muscle pain and extreme tiredness, followed by a distinctive rash that forms spots, crusts over and eventually falls away.

Rubella

Vaccination rates among children in the UK have dropped sharply, reaching a 15-year low in 2015. According to Dr Head, the rise of anti-vaccine sentiment could contribute to a resurgence of rubella.

Rubella, also known as German measles, has been close to eradication in Britain for many years. It is the “R” component of the MMR vaccine, which has played a key role in keeping case numbers extremely low.

“Annual rubella cases in the UK are usually in single digits and sometimes there are none at all,” Dr Head said. “It has effectively been removed as a major public health issue.

“However, with reduced uptake of the MMR vaccine, there is a real risk that rubella could reappear. While the infection is usually mild, it can be extremely dangerous for pregnant women. If infection occurs early in pregnancy, there is around a 90 percent risk of congenital rubella syndrome.” This condition can cause severe birth defects, including brain damage, vision problems and hearing loss. Dr Head stressed that the rubella element of the MMR vaccine is vital in preventing these outcomes.

Symptoms: Fever, swollen glands and headaches, followed by a red, spotty rash that begins on the face and spreads across the body.

Influenza

The UK has experienced an unusually early and severe flu season this year, with several NHS Trusts placed on high alert. Hospital admissions linked to “super flu” remain at record levels for this time of year, according to the latest NHS data.

Although influenza is a familiar illness, experts say it is currently one of the most concerning threats. Professor Paul Hunter, a medicine specialist at the University of East Anglia, said recent trends abroad suggest the UK could face ongoing pressure.

“The major concern right now is influenza,” he told the Mirror. “Australia has just experienced its worst flu season in years, and the UK often follows a similar pattern.”

Health authorities have also flagged the rapid spread of a new influenza subvariant known as subclade K, which has become the dominant strain across the country. This strain belongs to the H3N2 subtype, one of the three main viruses responsible for seasonal flu.

With hospitals already under strain from early flu cases, the UK Health Security Agency is urging everyone eligible to receive a flu vaccination as soon as possible.

Symptoms: High temperature, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue and in some cases vomiting or diarrhoea.

Disease X

Doctors are also keeping a close watch on the threat known as Disease X as the world moves into 2026. Disease X is not a specific illness but a term used to describe a future, currently unknown infection that could cause widespread outbreaks or a global pandemic.

Dr Head has previously warned that the possibility of an unidentified virus or bacterial infection is very real, and that governments must be prepared. “Disease X refers to an as-yet-unknown pathogen with the potential to cause large outbreaks or even a pandemic,” he told the Mirror. “It could spread rapidly and have a high death rate, similar to what we saw with COVID-19.

Symptoms: These would depend entirely on the nature of the organism. A respiratory virus could lead to coughing and breathing difficulties, while a bacterial infection might cause symptoms more similar to a stomach bug.