Brain health as a global priority

Abstract

Brain health is an evolving concept that has become increasingly popular within clinical and academic centers, journalism and the general public. It can be defined as the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioural and motor domains, allowing a person to realize their full potential over the life course. Multiple, interconnected determinants play a role in shaping brain health from pre-conception through the end of life. Brain health can be optimized by addressing the following determinants: physical health, healthy environments, safety and security, learning and social connection, and access to quality services. Optimizing brain health improves brain structure and functioning across all domains and benefits health by lowering rates of neurological disorders, mental health conditions, and substance use; improving quality of life for people with lived experience of these conditions; and improving physical health (particularly through improved endocrine and immunological functioning and lower rates of stress-related physical health conditions). Additionally, optimizing brain health can lead to social and economic benefits including increased school retention and academic achievement, lower rates of teenage pregnancies, lower rates of incarceration, lower health care costs and rates of disability, higher productivity, and greater wealth. Optimizing brain health for all is paramount to ensuring human health and well-being globally. It is central to achieving global commitments outlined in the Intersectoral global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders 2022-2031, WHO's Triple Billion targets, the UN SDGs and the 2021 Geneva Charter for Well-being. Efforts to optimize brain health require multi-stakeholder collaborations and must be integrated across all sectors of society: health and social care; education; legislature and governance; finance and economy; employment; infrastructure, urban planning and housing; and ecology, nature and climate. In return, robust investments in actions that optimize brain health across the life course promise to improve multiple health outcomes and lift development and well-being globally. Multisectoral engagement and collaboration are urgently needed in order to move the brain health agenda forward for all people.

Keywords: Brain health; Determinants; Global action plan; Neurology; Policy; Position paper.