World Federation of Neurology was founded on 22nd of July 1957 with the mission to foster quality neurology and brain health worldwide; and to commemorate this, annual world brain day is celebrated all over the world on 22nd of July every year since 2014. Every year, on World Brain Day, we highlight an area of neurology that needs the world's attention. Every five minutes, someone receives the life-altering diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, so the urgency of this matter could not be more apparent. The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) is pleased to announce that the theme of this year’s World Brain Day is “Stop Multiple Sclerosis”. In partnership with the MS International Federation (MSIF), the goal of World Brain Day is to raise global awareness of multiple sclerosis. This neurological disease impacts every aspect of a person’s life, with effects ranging from cognitive impairment to significant physical disability.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is not an uncommon disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Today, 2.8 million people around the world have MS. MS is an inflammatory demyelinating condition. It is caused by damage to myelin, a type of fat/lipid layer that insulates nerves. In MS, the loss of myelin affects the way nerves conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. MS is two to three times more common in women than in men. MS presents with an assortment of symptoms including fatigue, pain, vision issues, coordination and mobility problems as well as cognitive and emotional issues. Early diagnosis and access to proven disease-modifying treatments are vital to improving patient quality of life and significantly halting disease progression. On this World Brain Day, our goal is to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis and its impact on the individuals who live with it, their loved ones and society to improve access to quality neurological care and life-changing treatments.