Across the globe, society is facing brain challenges like never before. Brain disorders – neurological and mental alike – are widespread, highly disabling and often difficult to treat. In fact, it is estimated that up to one billion people worldwide live with a neurological condition and 970 million people around the world were living with a mental health disorder as of 2019, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common. These conditions represent a high individual, social and economic burden and contribute to the global disease burden and disability.

Improving the health and well-being of citizens has become the top priority for many governments and brain health should not be left behind. Enhancing global brain research collaboration can spur innovation and quicken effective outcomes to the benefit of people living with brain conditions everywhere.

Over the last few years, EBC has served as a convener for experts in the brain community to share best practices, exchange ongoing work and align priorities to forge a joint path forward to understand and address the brain rather than in silos across continents.

To move past discussion and work towards explicit and tangible next steps in solidifying global efforts in brain research, EBC is actively involved in engaging the community in relevant areas for action, including advocating for the recognition of brain health as an urgent priority in planning for Global Action Plans and national brain health plans/strategies and the development of policy recommendations to guide national, regional and global policymakers towards better addressing brain health in the future. Part of this is through direct engagement within the Coordination and Support Action BrainHealth, launched at the end of 2023 to prepare the future European Brain Health Partnership.

This event, aimed to bring the global brain research community together on the occasion of the FENS Forum to network and build synergies in an informal setting, will also feature a short panel discussion with key stakeholders working across continents to unite the brain research community globally.