The Campaign
The holistic approach to brain health requires the implementation of integrated policies that address the key risk and protective factors as well as the determinants of brain health including physical health and physical activity. The goal of the Move for Your Brain campaign is to promote and emphasise the importance of policies and practices addressing brain health from a holistic perspective.
On the occasion of the 2024 Brain Awareness Week, the European Brain Foundation and the European Brain Council have decided to shine a light on the benefits of physical exercise on the brain by reactivating its #Move4YrBrain campaign. Physical activity and healthy lifestyles have a clear and demonstrated impact on brain health. Whether you’re running, walking, or jogging, let’s lace up our shoes, hit the pavement, and boost our brain health together!
Share your runs, walks, or jogs with us using #Move4YrBrain or by joining our Strava group. We encourage each and every one of you to start – or keep – exercising and share your pictures on social media with the hashtag #Move4YrBrain, or our website. Tee shirts can be made available upon request.
A Holistic Approach to Brain Health
Promoting brain health throughout the life course calls for actions looking at determinants that affect the brain at different stages of life (such as physical health, healthy environments, safety and security, learning and social connection, and access to quality services determinants).
Optimising brain health can not only reduce the prevalence and burden of brain conditions, it can also improve mental and physical health overall and create positive social and economic impact, all of which contribute to greater well-being and help advance society, irrespective of the presence.
There is a strong need to promote a health and social care through multisectoral and interdisciplinary collaborations with a holistic and integrated person-centred approach focused on promotion, prevention, treatment, care and rehabilitation and the active engagement of persons with lived experience, their families and carers.
“Promotion of brain health and prevention of neurological disorders require an intersectoral platform with integrated policies that address the key risk and protective factors as well as the determinants of brain health. Interventions and services should stem from these policies and focus on increasing opportunities for leisure and physical activity in populations of all ages, eliminating and mitigating harmful exposure to substances and pollutants and enhancing road, sport, communal and labour safety.”
“Physical activity is known to affect brain health across the life course, with physical inactivity being responsible for nearly 8% of DALYs due to stroke globally as well as 2% of global dementia prevalence. Increased physical activity, on the other hand, has been shown to have neuroprotective and neuroplastic benefits for the brain later in life.”