A large survey led by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shows that brain health is at the heart of the concerns of a very large number of people. Indeed, 91% of the people questioned for this survey (which is part of the European research project “Lifebrain” and was carried out in collaboration with the University of Oslo) declare that they would like to take a test to analyze their risks of develop neurological disorders, if this type of test was available.
For this survey, the researchers interviewed more than 27,500 people from 76 countries. The main results:
- 91% of respondents would definitely or probably take a simple test to find out the risk of developing a brain disease.
- 86% would do so even if the disease could not be prevented or treated.
“It is surprising that so many people agree to be tested for future brain diseases, even if it is not always possible to delay their onset or cure them, such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, this This discovery shows that people strongly believe that lifestyle affects brain health,” said lead author Dr. Rebecca Bruu Carver.
1 in 2 people will develop a brain disease in their lifetime
As the researchers point out, the concept of brain health has emerged in recent years to describe the state of functioning of the brain. “It is a multi-faceted concept, as it refers to the proper functioning of a person’s brain in several areas, including cognitive, emotional, sensory and motor functions,” they explain.
Due to increased longevity, diseases related to brain health are expected to increase in the coming decades, worldwide: one in three people will develop a brain disease or disorder in their lifetime. Brain health can be affected by a wide range of brain disorders i.e. neurological and psychiatric disorderssuch as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, depression, schizophrenia and autism.
Source : People’s interest in brain health testing: Findings from an international, online cross-sectional surveyFrontiers in public health, November 2022
