By Prof. Tissa Wijeratne and Prof. David Dodick
World Brain Day (WBD) 2022 is dedicated to the theme “Brain Health for All” as our brains continue to be challenged by pandemics, wars, climate change, massive disparities in health equity and myriad preventable diseases.
The brain consists of about 100 billion neurons and up to five times as many glial cells. Each neuron connects to about 10,000 other neurons by way of trillions of synapses. The length of these connections end-to-end would wrap around the earth four times. Connections between these neurons help us read, write, watch, learn, plan, think, feel, move, love, and solve problems daily.
The 2022 WBD “Brain Health for All” campaign will focus on five key messages globally:
- Awareness: Brain health is vital for mental, social, and physical well-being.
- Prevention: Many brain diseases are preventable.
- Advocacy: Global efforts are required for optimal brain health.
- Education: Education is key to brain health for all.
- Access: Equitable access to resources, treatment, and rehabilitation are essential for brain health.
We invite neurologists, neuroscientists, health professionals, trainees, technologists, advocacy organizations, patient support groups, professional societies, and other activists to become part of the 2022 World Brain Day campaign. You can participate by posting our banner advertisement on your webpage and sharing our posts, messages, and videos with your friends and colleagues. You can partner with local neurology societies and organizations to promote these activities. Please encourage people with any neurological disorder and their caregivers to contribute by sharing their story via a short video message (less than 90 seconds) and emailing the video to wbd2022@wfneurology.org. You can visit our website and use the freely available educational resources to lead a successful World Brain Day campaign at your institution or organization this year.
On behalf of the WFN, we, the co-chairs of the WFN’s WBD campaign, look forward to virtually visiting your association, society, and regional group to work with you to extend the reach and impact of WBD 2022 to every household in your region and country.
Let us work together to optimize brain health for a better world and brighter future. •
Prof. Tissa Wijeratne and Prof. David Dodick are co-chairs of World Brain Day, World Federation of Neurology.
