Dear EAN members, friends, and colleagues,
The EAN Brain Health Summit is the clearest representation of the EAN’s efforts to contribute to the global Brain Health coalition. As part of the most recent summit, which took place on 7 May, I was joined by Riadh Gouider, Honorary President of both the Pan Arab Union of Neurological Societies and the African Academy of Neurology; Carlayne Jackson, President of American Academy of Neurology; and Wolfgang Grisold, President of World Federation of Neurology, for a presidential panel discussion on ‘Global Neurology & Brain Health’. This was just one part of a full day of presentations and discussions involving luminaries from throughout the European brain space and beyond, with a focus on the holistic approach to brain health, addressing the management of neurological disorders, preventive strategies, and public awareness. We were all honoured to be joined at the summit by Her Majesty the Queen of the Belgians, who engaged attentively with the diverse voices convened at the Royal Academy of Medicine in Brussels. As usual, the livestream of this event was recorded and is now available to watch on demand, here!
When I began my term as EAN President in July 2022, I identified brain health as the first in a set of priorities for my presidency, and it has remained at the very forefront of our endeavours ever since. The Brain Health Summit, which had at that time recently taken place for the first time, has now become established as a key event with a keen following and an international reputation. The Brain Health Mission was also launched in early 2023 and has grown rapidly, encompassing more and more activities, and bringing on board a growing group of partners and supporters. More importantly, we have seen that awareness of and engagement with the concept of brain health is spreading, both within the neurological and wider medical communities, and beyond them, among political actors and bodies, and with the press and public.
This is all very encouraging, of course, but it is by no means a mission accomplished, and I look forward to seeing the Brain Health Mission continue to develop in the coming years.
I was privileged to take part in a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in mid-April, alongside leaders of other international and global organisations, under the heading ‘Brain Health: A Global Priority’. This conversation on the status of brain health across the globe included updates on our respective organisations’ work on brain health, as well as the collaborations necessary to advance brain health for all. The existence of this event, its straightforward title, and the participation of neurological organisations from around the world, all serve to highlight that our global community is unreservedly aligned on this issue.
The recent publication of the latest paper by the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) Collaborator Network underlines the importance of the latter point. The ‘headline news’ from the paper, Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, is that disorders affecting the nervous system are the leading cause of overall disease burden worldwide. Close coordination between organisations around the world is therefore of the utmost importance in facing such a global challenge, and studies like this from the GBD give us all a common point of reference, to ensure that our communication is consistent. When the messages and figures our organisations share are the same, their impact will be much more effective.
We also have some exciting events lined up to continue spreading awareness of the importance of brain health via the Brain Health Mission. In Helsinki, on 25 May, there will be a Brain Health Mission stand offering cognitive assessments and expert advice at the Naisten Kymppi running event, a popular 10km run that attracts thousands of participants every year, raising funds for track and field activities for children and adolescents. The Brain Health Mission will also be the main sponsor of the Vienna Snooker Open championship on 9-12 May. Snooker is an excellent example of a brain-boosting pastime, demanding lots of spontaneous mental calculation and problem-solving, as well as physical skill and social interaction, a great fit for the mission! Also in Finland, we have just closed the submission phase of another Brain Health School Challenge, following the success of the Austrian edition earlier this year. Personally, I cannot wait to see what creative ideas our young Finnish participants have come up with to motivate their peers to take of their brain health.
In other news, our eLearning platform, the eanCampus, has received another award, this time from eLearning Journal in recognition of the platform’s approach to ‘gamification’ (the ability to collect badges and compete for ranking positions with fellow learners). If you have not yet explored the eanCampus, a selection of content on a specific is made available to anyone with a myEAN account each month, giving non-members a great opportunity to test it out. Head this way for more information on May’s highlighted content.
Finally, with less than two months to go until we head to Helsinki, I would like to briefly share two important deadlines ahead of the 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology: 29 May is the cutoff for Late Breaking Abstract Submissions, and 31 May is the deadline for membership application approval if you want to benefit from EAN Members fees for the congress. Considering approval can take up to ten working days, I strongly advise any non-member to submit your applications as soon as possible! Excitement about our 10th anniversary congress is building fast, with intriguing plans for a multisensory experience at the Opening Session; some stylish new merchandise available to onsite attendees; and the Virtual Congress Platform now online. Be sure to visit ean.org/congress2024 for more information.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Helsinki, for what is shaping up to be an extraordinary EAN Congress.
Best wishes
Paul Boon, EAN President
