By Martin Banks - 4th October 2011
Research into the diagnosis, prevention and more effective treatment of such disorders has not been recognised as a top priority
Jes Olesen
The annual cost of brain disorders in Europe has soared to €798bn in what a new study describes as a social, political and financial "ticking bomb".
The report, called "Cost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010" and commissioned by the European Brain Council (EBC), argues that the bill will continue to rise as people live longer.
It says the issue represents "the number one economic challenge for European health care now and in the future".
The figure - equating to €1550 per European - is more than double the estimate made in an EBC report published in 2005.
"The increasing burden and the associated increasing cost of disorders of the brain is a ticking bomb under the European economy and the EU society as a whole," the report authors told a conference in parliament on Tuesday.
They called for a major increase in research funding and resources to help combat the trend.
The study is wider ranging than its predecessor, accessing more comprehensive data while covering 30 countries compared to 28 and 19 diagnostic groups of disorders rather than 12.
The mental and neurological disorders in question – well over 100 in total – vary widely, from headaches, migraines and sleep disorders on the one hand, to strokes, Parkinson's disease, psychotic disorders and dementia on the other.
They have a major impact on society, with more than a third of the region's 514 million people having been affected in some way, either suffering from a condition themselves or having aided or cared for sufferers, the conference heard.
The "immense and expanding" cost of brain disorders is also substantially higher than other comparable disease areas like cardiovascular disease or cancer, it was said.
Jes Olesen, professor of neurology at the Danish headache centre, said, "Despite the overwhelming impact brain disorders have on society and the costs, which far exceed that of cancer and cardiovascular disease, research into the diagnosis, prevention and more effective treatment of such disorders has not been recognised as a top priority.
"This report indicates that brain research needs far more focus and to receive a considerable proportion of healthcare research funding."
The authors argue that the estimated costs are "very conservative" and almost certainly an underestimation, due to certain data not being available or fully verifiable.
Without urgent action, the situation can only worsen, they warn.
"We have to emphasise that the burden of disorder of the brain will likely increase further, simply due to the continuing life expectancy in Europe," said Olesen.
"Because of the ageing European population, degenerative disorders are particularly destined to become more common, such as dementia, Parkinson's disease and stroke, but anxiety and mood disorders are also very prevalent at high age."
