A new EAN paper published in the European Journal of Neurology presents a roadmap toward reducing the burden imposed on patients, caregivers, and society by neurological diseases in Europe. The paper, titled ‘A roadmap toward promoting and improving brain health in Europe and closing the awareness and funding gap’, provides an overview of the current global burden of neurological diseases and the existing approaches of the EAN and other organisations to reducing the burden, before outlining the roadmap for brain health, based on the five strategic pillars previously defined in the EAN Brain Health Strategy.
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“Awareness of what brain health really means and how we can improve it has certainly been rising recently among policymakers,” said Prof. Paul Boon, first author of the paper and Co-Chair of the EAN-led Brain Health Mission’s Steering Committee. “But we still need a clearer plan to actually reduce the burden of neurological disorders and promote better brain health across Europe, and the world, in the years ahead. This paper aims to set that path and provide a solid basis for our Brain Health Mission activities in the immediate future.”
Neurological diseases are highly prevalent and significantly impact individuals, caregivers, healthcare systems, and economies globally. Conditions such as migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease contribute to a global disease burden of 43%, affecting over a third of the global population. In Europe, these disorders are the leading cause of disability and impose substantial economic costs, exceeding the combined costs of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Besides setting out specific priorities and actions for the coming years within each of the five pillars that constitute the EAN Brain Health Strategy (contributing to a global approach; supporting international and national policymaking; fostering research; developing education; and raising public awareness) the paper also offers calls to action to various stakeholders toward better brain health and an update to the ‘Brain Bubble’ infographic illustrating the three layers of brain health.
The EAN hopes that this paper provides a useful overview of its plans to promote and improve Brain Health in Europe and beyond, and that it will inspire further dialogue and cooperation, as well as concrete and much-needed actions prompted by our calls for change and action.
For more information about the Brain Health Mission, visit https://www.brainhealthmission.org/
Read our e-book ‘Brain Health Mission – The Story So Far’
