A Ghanaian research scientist, Mohammed Zaidan, has called for an increased effort in the promotion of brain health and stress resilience.
Mr Zaidan explained that the brain is a complex system that regulates key functions, such as how we think, feel, decide, and experience events.
He said this in a statement copied to the Ghanaian Times in Accra to mark the 2025 Brain Awareness Week (BAW), which will be on the theme “drugs, brain, and behavior.”
The event is an initiative founded by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiative (DABI) and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB).
BAW was established in 1996 and serves as a global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.
The Research Scientist, who is currently based at the University of Vermont, United States of America (USA) said brain awareness advocacy was not new and that it was first pioneered in the 1990s during the ‘Decade of the Brain’ and the then-former president of the USA George H.W. Bush who encouraged attention on brain research and awareness.
He stated that stress-related psychiatric conditions, including anxiety and depression, impose a significant economic burden worldwide.
“The stress and anxiety we experience are often associated with inflammation, both central and systemic, leading to brain injuries and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as IL-1b, TNFa, and IL6,” Zaidan elaborated.
In his research, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, delves into how stress can disrupt brain integrity and health outcomes.
He further discussed the impact of psychosocial stress on behavioral flexibility, referencing recent findings published in the Journal of Physiology & Behavior.
“Psychosocial stress, such as that from home, social media, work, relationships, and the economy, can impair our ability to make conscious adaptive decisions, with the impact appearing more pronounced in females than in males,” Zaidan indicated.
He emphasized that the findings offer a novel basis for understanding stress’s impact on brain function and present opportunities for developing targeted therapeutic interventions for stress-induced disorders.
He advocated for collaboration among neuroscientists, psychologists, policymakers, and the public to translate scientific breakthroughs into tangible health benefits.
‘Prioritising neuroscience research in public health strategies, educational initiatives, and workplace wellness programs can enhance cognitive resilience and improve quality of life globally,” he added.
He, therefore, called for the need to constantly remind the public how simple lifestyle choices such as quality sleep, diet, exercise, and stress affect brain health.
Mr. Zaidan also urged President John Dramani Mahama and other African leaders to strengthen advocacy and awareness campaigns and called for interdisciplinary collaboration to champion brain health initiatives worldwide, aiming to bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical application.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu