Halina Sienkiewicz-Jarosz, a professor of medicine who heads the Polish Neurological Society, said many major neurological disorders share risk factors with cardiovascular disease and cancer.
These include high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet and physical inactivity.
"Brain diseases are among the greatest medical, social and economic challenges of our time," Sienkiewicz-Jarosz said in marking World Brain Day on Wednesday.
People are living longer, but age remains a major risk factor for stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other disorders affecting the nervous system.
The risk of epilepsy also increases with age. In more than half of cases among older people, it is associated with diseases affecting blood vessels in the brain.
Sienkiewicz-Jarosz said people cannot alter their age or genetic background, but they can reduce many other risks.
Regular checks of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are essential, she said.
Treating hypertension, diabetes, obesity and abnormal cholesterol levels can lower the risk of stroke, cognitive impairment and dementia.
A diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and fish can also help.
Other recommendations include regular exercise, sufficient sleep and avoiding tobacco, nicotine products and alcohol.
Cognitive reserve
Intellectual and social activity also plays a role. Reading, learning new skills, studying a foreign language and maintaining relationships can help build cognitive reserve.
Cognitive reserve describes the brain’s ability to cope with aging or damage while continuing to function effectively.
Research suggests that addressing preventable risk factors could delay or prevent symptoms in about 45 percent of dementia cases worldwide.
The Polish Neurological Society, Polish Cardiac Society and Polish Society of Clinical Oncology have joined forces to promote a common approach to chronic disease prevention.
Their leaders signed a joint statement in May and issued a set of 10 recommendations for protecting the brain and heart while reducing cancer risk.
"We should move away from thinking about prevention solely in terms of individual diseases," Sienkiewicz-Jarosz said.
Why prevention is better than cure
She said Poland spends 1.7 percent of its health budget on prevention, compared with a European Union average of 4 percent.
Poland also records more avoidable deaths than the EU average.
"Prevention cannot be treated solely as a cost," she said. "It is an investment in longer, healthier lives, a better quality of life and greater independence."
Some neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and some forms of epilepsy, cannot be specifically prevented.
Sienkiewicz-Jarosz said a healthy lifestyle can still support brain function, improve quality of life and help patients benefit from treatment.
She also called for stronger public education about warning signs. Stroke should be treated as an emergency, just like a heart attack, she said.
"The most effective therapy will not help a patient who reaches a neurologist too late," she said. "In stroke, the possibility of successful treatment often depends on calling for help immediately."
Sienkiewicz-Jarosz said knowledge about prevention, warning symptoms and emergency responses should be taught from an early age.
"I would like us to begin treating brain health as seriously as heart health," she said.
"Our everyday decisions and the conditions in which we live, work and grow old have an enormous influence on it," she added.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, jedynka.polskieradio.pl