"Brain Health and Prevention: Protecting Our Future"

The Turkish Neurology Society has set this year's main theme for "World Brain Day" as "Brain Health and Protection: Protecting Our Future." But how should we use our brains in shaping and protecting the future? What are the benefits of making lifestyle changes to prevent neurological diseases? Can early diagnosis prevent these conditions? We sought answers from Liv Hospital Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Ayhan Öztürk and Liv Hospital Neurology Specialist Dr. Hatice Çil.

Can be made into a lifestyle

The purpose of World Brain Day is to build a culture aimed at preventing neurological diseases and to make the understanding of protection from neurological diseases a lifestyle for present and future generations.

Preventable through early diagnosis and effective management

Neurological diseases can be prevented through early diagnosis and effective management. Globally, 90% of stroke cases, 40% of dementia cases, and 25% of epilepsy cases among the most common neurological diseases are preventable. • Global education is essential for the protection of brain health. • Socioeconomic status or geographic location should not be a barrier to prevention. • Healthcare workers, researchers, and policymakers play key roles in meeting global neurological needs.

Taking precautions is the key to brain health.

• Regular physical activity increases blood flow to the brain and promotes the growth of brain cells. • Regular sleep strengthens memory, facilitates information processing, and helps eliminate toxins in the brain. • Healthy and balanced nutrition is very important for brain function. • To remain mentally active, it is beneficial to participate in creative activities, learn a new language, or attend dance classes. • Stress negatively affects brain health, so it is important to avoid stress and, if necessary, seek professional help. • Strengthen your social relationships to increase emotional well-being and cognitive function. • Staying away from smoking and alcohol is very important for general physical health and brain health. • Protecting your head, particularly wearing a helmet in traumatic sports and wearing a seatbelt in cars, is important for brain health. Drinking plenty of water daily, prioritizing personal care, and participating in fun and enjoyable activities help protect your brain health.

The most important thing is reason and brain health

The century in which we live appears to be a century in which humanity must make decisions and take positions that may well determine its fate, as is clearly seen from the example of the recent pandemic we experienced. For humanity to overcome this century with less damage and positive outcomes, the most important thing it needs will actually be reason and brain health.

The most important component of a healthy society

It is clear that creating a healthy society is only possible with individuals who have good brain health from the very beginning. In fact, if we examine the distribution and frequency of neurological diseases around the world, we will better understand why attention must be drawn to brain health.

Important for raising awareness of certain neurological diseases

Even without including diseases with high prevalence rates such as pain, neurological diseases affecting large segments of the population with high prevalence rates such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cerebrovascular disease are the clear reason for this effort to raise awareness regarding brain health. When we approach our world with the idea that it is unique and something that has been left to us and that we will pass on to our children as a legacy, we must not forget that regardless of how large the problems are, due to the characteristic of our era to produce quick solutions, the only need is a well-protected and healthy brain.