The Global Brain Health Survey: Development of a Multi-Language Survey of Public Views on Brain Health

Exploring brain health knowledge and practices in young adults in Cuba: Dataset

Understanding brain health is crucial, particularly in the context of emerging public health challenges. In this scenario, this dataset aims to provide insights into Cuban youth's perceptions and awareness of brain health. The database includes information from 1, 049 Cuban participants aged between 18 and 45 years. The database is the result of a cross-sectional study conducted online, between June 30 and December 12, 2022. To explore conceptions of brain health among the Cuban population, the study utilized ``The Global Brain Health Survey''. The primary aim of this survey is to examine attitudes toward brain health and to identify factors that may encourage individuals to adopt brain health practices. By identifying knowledge gaps and misconceptions, this study highlights opportunities for improving public health initiatives tailored to this demographic. Understanding the perceptions of young people is critical, as many brain disorders develop long before clinical symptoms appear. The findings aim to inform strategies that enhance awareness and prevention efforts, ultimately contributing to better brain health outcomes among Cuban youth.

Assessing the perceived influence of religion on brain health among adults in the United Arab Emirates-the Global Brain Health Survey: a cross-sectional study

Background

A healthy brain is essential for independent and participatory life. Religion may play a key role in brain health. This study investigated the influence of religion on brain health among adults in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study among adults in the UAE based on the Global Brain Health Survey (GBHS). Information on demographics, knowledge and beliefs about brain health, and religious perceptions and practices related to brain health was collected. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with religious activities and attitudes toward brain health, and results are presented as adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

A total of 887 participants (65% women) were included. About 78% of women and 73% of men believed that religion strongly influences brain health. About 47% of participants reported frequent practice of religion for their brain health. Frequent thoughts about one's brain health (OR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.47-4.31), frequent engagements in religious activities (OR = 33.42, 95% CI = 18.58-60.11), being married (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.23-0.90), and having had COVID-19 (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.27-0.97) were associated with purposeful use of religious activities for brain health.

Conclusion

Our study found a significant link between religious practices and brain health, suggesting that faith- and spirituality-based approaches may be important for addressing brain health issues. These findings highlight the need for programs that incorporate religious beliefs to improve brain health, offering practical solutions for communities and healthcare providers.

Perceptions about brain health among the United Arab Emirates population using the global brain survey: a cross-sectional study

Introduction

Interest in brain health and general well-being research has increased due to advances in neurosciences, and aging population's need for preventive health measures. However, there is limited research on perceptions and attitudes toward brain health in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country with a unique demographic and cultural context. We aimed to assess self-reported practices, beliefs and attitudes toward brain health within the UAE population, identifying key factors influencing these views, and contributing to the global understanding of brain health in non-Western, high-income settings.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using the UAE-adapted Global Brain Health Survey, originally developed by the Lifebrain Consortium in Europe. The survey was distributed in both English and Arabic language via social media and the snowball technique. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and results of multivariable binary logistic regression.

Results

A total of 931 responses were recorded and analyzed. Overall, participants demonstrated a moderate understanding of brain health. Key factors that participants believed to influence brain health were physical health, sleep habits, substance use, and social environment. Older participants were more likely to engage in healthy lifestyle choices, while younger participants prioritized different activities. We also observed gender differences, with women less likely to engage in activities such as taking nutritional supplements and practicing relaxation techniques. Higher education and healthcare experience were linked to more informed perceptions of brain health.

Discussion

Our findings provide valuable insights into how cultural, social, and demographic factors influence the practices and beliefs toward brain health in the UAE. By adapting the Global Brain Health Survey for a Middle Eastern context, we demonstrate its cross-cultural applicability and contribute to the global discourse on brain health. Our results may inform future public health policies and interventions, highlighting the importance of tailored culturally sensitive strategies to promote brain health across different demographic groups, particularly in multicultural and rapidly aging societies.

Public perceptions of brain health in young and middle-aged adults in Cuba: Opportunities for intervention

Understanding brain health is increasingly important, particularly in light of growing public health challenges related to neurological and psychiatric conditions. These include the rising prevalence of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, as well as neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Lifestyle factors, including stress, poor diet, and insufficient physical activity, also significantly impact cognitive function. Exploring the perceptions and awareness of brain health among young and middle-aged adults is crucial to developing effective educational programs and awareness campaigns tailored to their specific needs. This study aimed to examine the perceptions and awareness of brain health among Cuban youth, focusing on the factors that shape their understanding and attitudes toward brain well-being. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted, with 1,049 participants voluntarily completing the questionnaire. Using "The Global Brain Health Survey," we assessed participants' conceptions of brain health and analyzed associations between demographic variables and brain health knowledge through logistic regression. Our findings revealed that the social environment was viewed as the most significant factor influencing brain health. Other factors, such as profession, genetics, income, and nutrition, were considered important but to a lesser degree. While participants were generally aware of conditions like Alzheimer's disease and depression, there was a notable gap in understanding the cognitive implications of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which are prevalent in Cuba. These insights highlight the need for targeted public health initiatives and educational campaigns that promote healthier behaviors and community support, particularly among young adults.

Stakeholder engagement in European brain research: Experiences of the Lifebrain consortium

INTRODUCTION

Stakeholder engagement remains scarce in basic brain research. However, it can greatly improve the relevance of investigations and accelerate the translation of study findings to policy. The Lifebrain consortium investigated risk and protective factors influencing brain health using cognition, lifestyle and imaging data from European cohorts. Stakeholder activities of Lifebrain-organized in a separate work package-included organizing stakeholder events, investigating public perceptions of brain health and dissemination. Here, we describe the experiences of researchers and stakeholders regarding stakeholder engagement in the Lifebrain project.

METHODS

Stakeholder engagement in Lifebrain was evaluated through surveys among researchers and stakeholders and stakeholders' feedback at stakeholder events through evaluation forms. Survey data were analysed using a simple content analysis approach, and results from evaluation forms were summarized after reviewing the frequency of responses.

RESULTS

Consortium researchers and stakeholders experienced the engagement activities as meaningful and relevant. Researchers highlighted that it made the research and research processes more visible and contributed to new networks, optimized data collection on brain health perceptions and the production of papers and provided insights into stakeholder views. Stakeholders found research activities conducted in the stakeholder engagement work package to be within their field of interest and research results relevant to their work. Researchers identified barriers to stakeholder engagement, including lack of time, difficulties in identifying relevant stakeholders, and challenges in communicating complex scientific issues in lay language and maintaining relationships with stakeholders over time. Stakeholders identified barriers such as lack of budget, limited resources in their organization, time constraints and insufficient communication between researchers and stakeholders.

CONCLUSION

Stakeholder engagement in basic brain research can greatly benefit researchers and stakeholders alike. Its success is conditional on dedicated human and financial resources, clear communication, transparent mutual expectations and clear roles and responsibilities.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patient organizations, research networks, policymakers and members of the general public were involved in engagement and research activities throughout the project duration.

People's interest in brain health testing: Findings from an international, online cross-sectional survey

Brain health entails mental wellbeing and cognitive health in the absence of brain disorders. The past decade has seen an explosion of tests, cognitive and biological, to predict various brain conditions, such as Alzheimer's Disease. In line with these current developments, we investigated people's willingness and reasons to-or not to-take a hypothetical brain health test to learn about risk of developing a brain disease, in a cross-sectional multilanguage online survey. The survey was part of the Global Brain Health Survey, open to the public from 4th June 2019 to 31st August 2020. Respondents were largely recruited via European brain councils and research organizations. 27,590 people responded aged 18 years or older and were predominantly women (71%), middle-aged or older (>40 years; 83%), and highly educated (69%). Responses were analyzed to explore the relationship between demographic variables and responses.

Results

We found high public interest in brain health testing: over 91% would definitely or probably take a brain health test and 86% would do so even if it gave information about a disease that cannot be treated or prevented. The main reason for taking a test was the ability to respond if one was found to be at risk of brain disease, such as changing lifestyle, seeking counseling or starting treatment. Higher interest in brain health testing was found in men, respondents with lower education levels and those with poor self-reported cognitive health.

Conclusion

High public interest in brain health and brain health testing in certain segments of society, coupled with an increase of commercial tests entering the market, is likely to put pressure on public health systems to inform the public about brain health testing in years to come.

Lawrence K, Tachtsidis I, Tong Y, Torricelli A, Urner T, Wabnitz H, Wolf M, Wolf U, Xu S, Yang C, Yodh AG, Yücel MA, Zhou W. Optical imaging and spectroscopy for the study of the human brain: status report

This report is the second part of a comprehensive two-part series aimed at reviewing an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain health and function. While the first report focused on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies, here, we highlight optical spectroscopy and imaging methods relevant to noninvasive human brain studies. We outline current state-of-the-art technologies and software advances, explore the most recent impact of these technologies on neuroscience and clinical applications, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions.

Public perceptions of brain health: an international, online cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES

To investigate public perspectives on brain health.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional multilanguage online survey.

SETTING

Lifebrain posted the survey on its website and social media and shared it with stakeholders. The survey was open from 4 June 2019 to 31 August 2020.

PARTICIPANTS

n=27 590 aged ≥18 years from 81 countries in five continents completed the survey. The respondents were predominantly women (71%), middle aged (41-60 years; 37%) or above (>60 years; 46%), highly educated (69%) and resided in Europe (98%).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Respondents' views were assessed regarding factors that may influence brain health, life periods considered important to look after the brain and diseases and disorders associated with the brain. We run exploratory linear models at a 99% level of significance to assess correlates of the outcome variables, adjusting for likely confounders in a targeted fashion.

RESULTS

Of all significant effects, the respondents recognised the impact of lifestyle factors on brain health but had relatively less awareness of the role socioeconomic factors might play. Most respondents rated all life periods as important for the brain (95%-96%), although the prenatal period was ranked significantly lower (84%). Equally, women and highly educated respondents more often rated factors and life periods to be important for brain health. Ninety-nine per cent of respondents associated Alzheimer's disease and dementia with the brain. The respondents made a connection between mental health and the brain, and mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression were significantly more often considered to be associated with the brain than neurological disorders such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. Few respondents (<32%) associated cancer, hypertension, diabetes and arthritis with the brain.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in perceptions of brain health were noted among specific segments of the population. Policies providing information about brain-friendly health behaviours and targeting people less likely to have relevant experience may be needed.

Genes Versus Lifestyles: Exploring Beliefs About the Determinants of Cognitive Ageing

Genetic and lifestyle factors contribute to cognitive ageing. However, the extent to which the public attribute changes in thinking skills to either genetic or lifestyle factors is largely unknown. This may be important if it impacts engagement in activities deemed beneficial to thinking skills. This study, therefore, explored people's beliefs about determinants of cognitive ageing and whether those beliefs were associated with engagement in potentially beneficial behaviours. Data were collected through a United Kingdom-wide survey of people aged 40 and over. Participants completed questions about their beliefs regarding cognitive ageing, and specifically the extent to which they believed lifestyle or genetic factors influence those changes, and their engagement in specific behaviours that may be cognitively beneficial. Responses from 3,130 individuals (94.0% of the survey sample) were analysed using chi-square tests of independence, principal component analysis and ANCOVAs to investigate whether their attribution of genetic or lifestyle determinants were associated with their beliefs about cognitive ageing and their participation in brain health-related behaviours. Most respondents (62.2%) believed genes and lifestyle contribute equally to age-related changes in cognitive skills. Respondents who believed genetic factors were more influential were less likely to expect cognitive skills might be improved or maintained with age, less sure what behaviours might be associated with brain health, and less likely to engage in behaviours comprising mental challenge/novelty supported as beneficial for brain health. From this United Kingdom-wide survey about beliefs regarding potential determinants of cognitive ageing, some of our respondents' views were not aligned with the findings from ageing research. It is important for the public to know how to keep their brains healthy. Our results indicate a need for clearer messaging highlighting the role of lifestyle factors for brain health.

Lay Public View of Neuroscience and Science-Based Brain Health Recommendations in Slovenia

Background: Brain health is one of the cornerstones of a long and full life. Active care for brain health and reduction of lifestyle-related risks for brain disorders may be a key strategy in tackling the growing prevalence of mental and neurological illnesses. Public knowledge, perception, and preventive behavior need to be considered in the planning of effective strategies for brain health promotion. Our research is the first effort aimed at assessing Slovenian lay public knowledge, search and use of scientific information about the brain, and care for brain health.

Methods: An online survey was used to gather data for descriptive and associative statistical analyses of a sample of the Slovenian public (n = 2568) in August 2017. Participants with formal brain-related education were excluded, leaving the remaining sample of the lay public (n = 1012). Demographic characteristics and information regarding the perceived importance and knowledge of brain health and engagement in preventive behaviors of participants were collected, and key associative analyses were carried out.

Results: The majority of respondents (89%) considered brain health to be important. Over one-third (39%) considered their knowledge of the brain as sufficient relative to their needs. Most of the respondents identified science-recommended practices to be important for brain health. No recommendation was followed daily by the majority of the respondents, primarily due to declared lack of time (59%), and lack of information (32%). Information was obtained primarily from television (38%), followed by newspapers and magazines (31%), the Internet (31%), and direct conversations (27%). However, the highest-rated, preferred source of information was lectured by experts. One-third of our sample struggled with the trustworthiness of information sources. Female gender and older age were associated with a higher frequency of healthy practices. Personal or familial diagnoses of brain disorders were not associated with a higher frequency of the behavior in favor of brain health, but did affect available time and perceived value of preventive practices.

Conclusions: Our research provides an initial insight into the perceptions, knowledge, and brain health-promoting behavior of the Slovenian lay public. Our findings can inform future strategies for science communication, public education and engagement, and policy-making to improve lifelong active care for brain health.