World Brain Day is celebrated every year on July 22, a date established in 2014 by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) to raise awareness of the importance of promoting neurological health. This year, the focus is on promoting awareness and education about neurological disorders that affect people around the world, in order to prevent them. The data, to say the least, draw attention to this global problem, since currently more than 43% of the world’s population suffers from some neurological disease, and the disability they cause has increased by more than 18% in the last two decades, making them the main cause of disability worldwide, as recalled by the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN). Neurological disorders continue to contribute significantly to the number of disability-adjusted life years, and affect global health through conditions such as stroke, migraines, Alzheimer’s disease, meningitis and epilepsy. More than 3.4 billion people worldwide suffer from some form of disability due to neurological diseases, and more than 11 million die each year from these pathologies.
In Spain alone, more than 23 million people suffer from some type of neurological disease, with a prevalence 18% higher than the world average and also 1.7% higher than the average in Western European countries, mainly due to the ageing of our population. In addition, they are also the main cause of disability in Spain, being responsible for 44% of disability due to chronic disease and, last year, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), they were responsible for 14% of deaths, with diseases such as dementia (with more than 35,000 deaths, mainly due to Alzheimer’s disease) or stroke (with almost 26,000 deaths) leading the table of the main causes of death in Spain in 2023.
Many neurological disorders can be prevented by taking care of the brain
“The vast majority of neurological diseases are chronic, meaning they have no cure, and although much progress has been made in recent years in improving treatments for many of them, they continue to cause significant disability and mortality. Diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, encephalitis and meningitis, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are responsible for a large percentage of deaths worldwide and, together with other neurological diseases such as migraine, they also account for the burden of global disability,” says Dr. Jesús Porta-Etessam, President of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN). However, it is encouraging that a substantial proportion of these cases can be prevented. “Addressing the risk factors for many of these diseases can serve to radically change the impact of neurological diseases. There are numerous studies that indicate that almost 90% of stroke cases, almost 40% of dementia cases and nearly 30% of epilepsy cases could be avoided by adopting brain-healthy habits.”
90% of stroke cases, 40% of dementia cases or 30% of epilepsy cases could be avoided by taking proper care of our brain
The latest published study on the subject, ‘Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021’ released in March of this year, indicated that more than 84% of stroke cases are potentially preventable by reducing exposure to 18 already identified risk factors, with hypertension (57.3%) being the greatest risk factor for stroke. In addition, controlling lead exposure could reduce the burden of intellectual disability by 63%, and controlling diabetes could reduce the burden of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by almost 15%. Smoking is also associated with an increased risk of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, dementia and stroke, and alcohol abuse poses an almost four-fold higher risk of epilepsy in men (11%) than in women (3%). In addition, factors such as sleep, stress and social isolation are increasingly recognized as major contributors to the development of neurological pathologies, as is the type of diet and exercise performed.
The reality is that globally, there are on average only 3.1 neurologists per 100,000 people, with low-income countries having a much lower proportion. Low-income countries have no neurologists or their numbers are as low as 0.1 neurologists per 100,000 people, compared to 7.1 per 100,000 in high-income countries. Ensuring equal access to preventive measures is therefore essential to creating a more inclusive and equitable healthcare landscape.
“When we talk about brain health and prevention, we are safeguarding our plan for the future. It is not about simply reacting; it is about actively cultivating a culture of neurological disease prevention. Our dedication to preventing neurological disorders is the cornerstone of our resilience for tomorrow,” says Professor Wolfgang Grisold, President of the World Federation of Neurology.
“Both the World Health Organization, with its ‘Global Intersectoral Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders’, and the American Academy of Neurology, with its ‘Platform and Declaration for Brain Health’, have already made an appeal to the international community on the implications of neurological diseases for public health and the urgent need to raise awareness about preventive measures. Spain cannot remain on the sidelines of this call, especially considering the impact that neurological diseases have in your country, which is greater than in other countries around us,” comments Dr. Jesús Porta-Etessam.
Source: Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN)
