The founding chairman of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, George Vradenburg, shared some alarming statistics at a round-table discussion they hosted at Davos. By 2050, the world’s population is expected to reach close to 10 billion, with as many as 22 billion people over the age of 60, according to the World Health Organization. A separate study estimates that by 2050, the number of people living with dementia could be as high as 132 million—three times the current number. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that impaired brain health drains as much as $8.5 trillion a year from the global economy in lost productivity, a number that will only increase as the population ages.
These alarming statistics have prompted the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative to prioritize brain health globally, emphasizing its impact on human and societal well-being, productivity, and resilience. The aim is to provide tools and information to help people nurture brain health as part of One Health in every community, country, and health system. The discussion at Davos brought together leaders representing international organizations, scientists, experts from the healthcare industry, policymakers, and visionaries from both private and public sectors to address the urgent need for ongoing global collaboration and the imperative to strengthen health systems to ensure the well-being of populations.
The event also saw the launch of a new network of global “Brain Health Ambassadors,” who are committed to promoting the inclusion of brain health at the primary care level and the international prevention of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The group aims to intensify efforts in risk reduction and prevention education, as well as spotlighting the disproportionate impact on women. Additionally, they emphasized the essential role of strengthened initiatives in data-sharing to address the staggering prevalence of brain health disorders.
The group also emphasized the crucial role of cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity in maintaining brain health, highlighting the importance of non-pharmacological methods and digital tools in assessing and monitoring cognitive reserve. They also discussed global brain health initiatives aimed at speeding up the time from detection to diagnosis and engaging governments to address the global Alzheimer’s crisis. These initiatives are vital in addressing the growing prevalence of brain health disorders and their significant economic and societal impact.
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