World Brain Day 2025: Brain Health for All Ages

A global initiative for lifelong brain health.

By Prof. Tissa Wijeratne, Prof. David Dodick, Prof. Steven Lewis, Prof. Alla Guekht, and Prof. Wolfgang Grisold

We are delighted to announce the 12th World Brain Day — WBD 2025 — a landmark campaign dedicated to promoting “Brain Health for All Ages.” This year’s initiative builds upon the successes of previous WBD campaigns, reinforcing our commitment to brain health as a fundamental aspect of individual and societal well-being.

Our vision for WBD 2025 is to collaborate with U.N. ECOSOC and the WHO Brain Health Unit to drive a global movement for brain health advocacy. By working together, we aim to make brain health a recognized priority worldwide and create meaningful change at both the policy and community levels.

Aligned with the Intersectoral Global Action Plan (IGAP) for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (2022-2031) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this year’s campaign will integrate regional perspectives to foster sustainable progress in brain health.

Here are the five key messages for WBD 2025:

1. Awareness: Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) worldwide and the second leading cause of death.
2. Education: Brain health must be prioritized throughout life, from childhood to old age.
3. Prevention: Prevention of neurological disorders begins early, with healthy lifestyle choices such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, stress management, control of vascular risk factors, and social engagement.
4. Access: Equitable access to neurological care, diagnostics, and therapies is essential for all, regardless of socioeconomic status.
5. Advocacy: A global framework for brain health must focus on risk assessment, early interventions, environmental risk mitigation, and equitable neurological care.

The 2025 WBD Campaign

Since its launch in 2014, World Brain Day has been a flagship initiative of the WFN, organized in collaboration with leading international societies such as the International League Against Epilepsy, World Stroke Organization, International Headache Society, World Federation of Neurorehabilitation, and Movement Disorders Society. Each year, a crucial theme is chosen to emphasize the importance of brain health and drive positive action.

For WBD 2025, we have chosen “Brain Health for All Ages,” continuing our global efforts to promote brain health as a lifelong priority. This theme aligns with the WHO’s mission to reduce disability worldwide, recognizing that disability can be prevented, rehabilitated, and managed through comprehensive neurological care. Neurological disorders affect individuals across the entire lifespan, with outcomes ranging from transient symptoms to long-term or permanent disability. The significant burden of chronic neurological conditions is well documented in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD 2021) study.

This year’s WBD campaign shines a light on the full spectrum of neurological disorders across all age groups and regions of the world. Stroke remains the leading neurological condition globally, while neuro-infectious diseases like meningitis continue to make a major impact, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, as noted in recent WHO reports.

In 2025, our goal is to empower communities and primary care providers worldwide to act. We aim to raise awareness of brain health at the grassroots level, ensuring that people everywhere have the knowledge and tools to protect their brain health across the lifespan.

Over the past two years, our WBD campaigns have focused on brain health and prevention (2023) and brain health and disability (2024). In 2025, we are expanding our focus to “Brain Health for All Ages”— from pre-conception through older adulthood. This year’s campaign will engage global experts across the lifespan to identify unmet needs and improve awareness, with the goal of raising awareness on “Brain Health for All Ages” and leaving no one behind.

The primary goal of WBD 2025 is to mobilize WFN member societies and the global public to address the critical issue of brain health at every stage of life.

Empowering Global Communities for Brain Health

To support WBD 2025, WFN will provide member societies with a comprehensive toolkit, including:

• Templates for press releases to facilitate local media engagement.
• Educational PowerPoint presentations for community outreach and advocacy.
• Guidelines for local activities, including public awareness campaigns, educational seminars, and collaborative events.

We encourage all participants to leverage local and global media platforms — including print, electronic media, radio, television, and social media channels — to maximize the campaign’s impact.

Join Us for World Brain Day 2025

We invite neurologists, health care professionals, researchers, policymakers, and the public to take part in World Brain Day 2025. Let’s unite to make brain health a universal priority, ensuring that people of all ages can enjoy healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Together, we can make a difference. Join the movement, spread the word, and champion brain health for all and for all ages. •

Tissa Wijeratne is an elected trustee of the WFN and co-chair of WBD 2025. David Dodick is co-chair of WBD 2025. Steven Lewis is secretary general of the WFN. Alla Guekht is past trustee of the WFN, and Wolfgang Grisold is the WFN president.