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Brain Health Initiative
 

 

Education and advocacy go hand-in-hand in the fight to improve brain health

By sharing this important work with people from around the world, of different backgrounds, age groups and education levels, we make critical and complex information available and actionable.
Prof. Wolfgang Grisold, WFN’s President.

 

The Vitals of Brain Health

Brain health affects every aspect of human life and its importance cannot be overstated. Brain health underlies our ability to communicate, make decisions, solve problems and to live a productive and useful life. 

Only 25% of the world has access to more than one neurologist per 100,000 people.

Only 25% of the world has access to more than one neurologist per 100,000 people.

70% of the burden of brain disease and disorders falls on low- and middle-income countries.

70% of the burden of brain disease and disorders falls on low- and middle-income countries.

The 2nd leading cause of death globally is neurological disorders.

The 2nd leading cause of death globally is neurological disorders.

179 million Europeans are living with a brain disorder. 

179 million Europeans are living with a brain disorder.

Papers on Brain Health

  • Orly Avitzur, Natalia S.Rost, David A.Evans.
    Neurologists Have a Plan for Lifelong Brain Health.
    Neurology. 2022 Nov 22;99(21):925-6 DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201339 ⧉
  • Claudio L. A. Bassetti, Mathias Endres, Anja Sander, Michael Crean, Sumathi Subramaniam, Vanessa Carvalho, Giovanni Di Liberto, Oscar H. Franco, Yolande Pijnenburg, Matilde Leonardi, Paul Boon.
    The European Academy of Neurology Brain Health Strategy: One brain, one life, one approach.
    European journal of neurology. 2022 Sep;29(9):2559-66 DOI:10.1111/ene.15391⧉
  • Wolfgang Grisold, Kimberly Karlshoej, Morris Freedman, Riadh Gouider, Alla Guekht, Steven L. Lewis, Marco T. Medina, Chandrashekhar Meshram, Guy Rouleau, and Richard J. Stark.
    Brain health as a global priority, view from WHO: Editorial from the World Federation of Neurology.
     Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 2022 Sep 15;440 DOI:10.1016/j.jns.2022.120337⧉
  • Kavitha Kolappa, Katrin Seeher, and Tarun Dua.
    Brain health as a global priority.
    Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 2022 Jun 20:120326 DOI:10.1016/j.jns.2022.120326⧉

Brain Health Topics

WFN BHI Topic5 Neurologists and the Fight Against Brain Disease

WFN Webinar to Launch Brain Health Initiative

How neurologists and advocacy are vital to brain health around the world for patients, research, policy and access to care
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WFN BHI Topic5 Neurologists and the Fight Against Brain Disease

The Vital Roles of the Neurologist and Advocacy

How neurologists and advocacy are vital to brain health around the world for patients, research, policy and access to care
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WFN BHI Topic 4 Global Economic Impact of Brain Disease

The Global Impact of Brain Diseases and Disorders

The impact of brain disease and disorders affects society at every level. To understand the breadth of how these conditions impact economies, we first must look at access to care and specialists; investment in healthcare resources; health and wealth inequality; and local, national and international actions.
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WFN BHI Topic 3 - Non Communicable Neurological Disorders

What to Know About Non-Communicable Neurological Diseases

Neurological non-communicable diseases and disorders are not contagious. They are often characterised by prolonged courses, suboptimal prevention possibilities and incomplete cures. Environmental factors may play a variable role depending on the disease. 
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WFN Topic 2 What Happens When Brains are Not Healthy

What Happens When Brains are Not Healthy

When our brains aren’t healthy, our bodies and lives are impacted. The brain controls our thoughts, speech, memory and emotions and determines our personality, judgment and sociability. It controls the movement of our bodies, including the complicated systems we rely on to breathe, digest, circulate blood, fight infection and more.
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WFN BHI Topic 1 - Introduction to Brain Health

Introduction to Brain Health

5 factors that contribute to a healthy brain Brain health is a critical piece of your overall health. It underlies your ability to communicate, make decisions, problem-solve and live a productive and useful life. Because the brain controls so much of daily function, it is arguably the single most valuable organ in the human body.
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The Brain is the Most Valuable organ in the Human Body

The brain is a complex and fascinating organ that needs to be taken care of from the time in utero to the life you live today and in the future as brain health is a lifelong aspiration. The brain controls so much of your daily functions, so promoting brain health can change millions of lives around the world.

 

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Global Brain Health Campaigns and Activities

Optimizing brain health across the life course: WHO position paper
Optimizing brain health across the life course: WHO position paper

WHO Brain Health ⧉

World Health Organization (WHO)

 

Brain Health is a state in which every individual can realize their own abilities and optimize their cognitive, emotional, psychological and behavioural functioning to cope with life situations.
WHO

 

The EAN Brain Health Strategy ⧉

EAN Logo


The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Brain Health Strategy – ‘one brain, one life, one approach’ – aims to develop a holistic approach to brain health which benefits society not just through a decreased healthcare burden due to neurological disorders but through improved quality of life and productivity throughout an individual’s life course. The EAN’s vision is of a future in which individuals, populations, clinicians, and policymakers understand the benefits of good Brain Health and have the information and opportunities to preserve and recover Brain Health. 

 

More from EAN

  • European Brain Health Summit ⧉ took place on May 31, 2022 and asked: What is Brain Health & how does it relate to neurology and other fields of healthcare? How can an approach centred on Brain Health improve healthcare outcomes in Europe? What is the current landscape of Brain Health initiatives in Europe? and What is the future for Brain Health in the EU?

  • The Future of Brain Health Event ⧉ at the European Parliament took place at the European Parliament in Brussels on December 8, 2022 with the aim to highlight important areas for future research within neurology, which will significantly impact brain health in Europe while enhancing care for patients.

 

AAN Brain Health Initiative ⧉ 

American Academy of Neurology

 

The American Academy of Neurology’s Brain Health Initiative focuses on enhancing brain health at every stage of life, from a person’s earliest years of development to their oldest years.

The Initiative has 4 pillars—science, patient care, public policy, and public education—that provide the framework for the AAN’s vision of brain health for all. 

 

More from AAN

 

 
 
 
 
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