Brain disorders – neurological and mental alike – are widespread, highly disabling and often difficult to treat. Approximately 60% of the European population lives with a neurological condition. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health problems already affected around 84 million people in the EU, amounting to one in every six citizens. These conditions represent a high individual, social and economic burden and contribute to the global disease burden and disability.

The brain is an incredibly complex organ. Understanding how the brain works, how brain diseases progress and finding treatments and cures for these diseases is a long-term endeavour and investment and support is crucial. Brain research is highly interdisciplinary, requiring the use of a wide range of research techniques, based on different models – human, artificial, digital and, predominantly, animal – which remains essential for progress in this domain.

The European Brain Council, in collaboration with member and like-minded organisations, has launched a Pledge for Science: Brain Research and Innovation in the EU in response to policy developments, particularly those with possible implications for health and research – including a recent European Citizens’ Initiative on “Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing”, which received over one million signatures, triggering a public hearing in the European Parliament (which took place on 25 May 2023). EBC issued a separate statement on this – available here.

Brain research and innovation must therefore be recognised, more than ever, as a health and research priority in the EU. The scientific community calls upon national, EU and international policymakers to support the development of a European Brain Research and Innovation Plan, combining research and public health initiatives to address brain function and disorders in a comprehensive, collaborative and innovative way.