This year’s World Congress of Neurology is being hosted in Canada from October 15-19, and its tagline, “Brain Health is our Greatest Wealth,” recognizes that brain health — which includes improved brain performance, enhanced creativity, better treatments for neurological disorders and greater psychological resilience — is the pathway to greater prosperity.

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Canada has a secret economic advantage that could lead to greater prosperity Back to video

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Heightened awareness about brain health could not come at a more opportune time. Canada is facing perhaps the biggest challenges to its long-term prosperity since the end of the Second World War. A trend decline in productivity and economic growth, inflation, an aging population, the re-emergence of protectionist industrial policies in the United States and elsewhere, and the realignment of complex supply chains will challenge Canada’s ability to generate the levels of wealth to which its citizens have become accustomed.

However, thanks to a former finance minister, Canada has an under-appreciated advantage, as we were among the first to recognize that mental health is an important variable in economic competitiveness.

Micheal H. Wilson, who also served as ambassador to the U.S., played a key role in highlighting the importance of brain health. He championed mental health at a time when conversations about subjects such as depression were conducted in the shadows. His approach was to integrate mental and neurological health and bring business and science together in support of brain health. That led to the formulation of the “brain capital” concept in 2011, the sum of brain health and brain skills. The goal was to convince business leaders that the brains of their workers were their most valuable assets, and by failing to address brain health issues in the workplace and in society, they were getting less out of their talent. Wilson’s approach was paradigm-changing, coming at a time when brain diseases were seen only as a health crisis.

More than 10 years later, the brain capital concept has evolved and gained traction around the world, with economists and policymakers developing approaches that link brain health to economic growth and security. Brain capital, as defined in an article in the Psychiatric Times, is “a form of capital relevant to a complex, interconnected, and fragile global economy that puts a premium on brain skills and brain health … optimized brain capital creates flourishing, a state when people find fulfilment in their lives, social connectedness and accomplishing meaningful and worthwhile tasks.”

In the context of technological acceleration, it has become clear that brain skills are an important asset in transforming current socio-economic models. Prominent corporations now recognize that the global economy increasingly hinges on brain capital, placing significant value on cognitive, emotional and social brain resources. Major international policy organizations emphasize that investing in the development of brain capital is indispensable for tackling contemporary societal challenges and fostering innovation. Scientific journals are writing about brain capital. By transcending disciplines, brain capital provides a guide to economists and policymakers to assess their actions in a systemic way: to use brain science to better combat a range of problems — from health and climate change, to productivity, inequality and stagnating well-being.

The World Health Organization’s recent position paper further underscores that advancing our understanding of the brain allows people to thrive. Increased global collaboration, data-sharing capabilities, AI analytic tools, and public and private investments have all paved the way for a new era in brain health and brain capital. Leaders in the area convened during the 77th and 78th United National General Assembly Science Summits with the goal of accelerating local, country and global efforts to achieve brain health for all. These meetings led to a powerful call to action to UN member states to recognize brain health across the human lifespan as an urgent priority.

Canada is well-positioned globally to lead efforts in brain capital and brain health. We can build on the legacy of research excellence and investments in brain health that span the country, and leverage our culture of collaboration. With a unified approach, the Canadian brain health community can work to generate insights from research and translate them into changes in practice and policy. Now is the time to push for strategies that optimize brain health through strong, strategic co-ordination and collaboration between stakeholders across public and private sectors. Together, we can answer the outstanding question of how can we improve and optimize brain health across the lifespan.

As the World Congress of Neurology convenes, it symbolizes the culmination of efforts to underscore the profound connection between brain health and broader prosperity. The brain capital concept pioneered by Wilson continues to guide us to work smarter, by putting brain health at the centre of policies to boost long-term productivity and competitiveness, compelling the world to recognize the critical importance of nurturing our cognitive, emotional and social brain resources for a thriving global economy and a healthier, more equitable society.

Inez Jabalpurwala is executive leader at Brain Health Nexus and global director at VINEx. Tom Mikkelsen is president and scientific director at the Ontario Brain Institute.