Dear Editor,
The overall burden of neurological diseases on society is considerable and complex, impairing social functions, employment and health care provision, with secondary effects on family members and caregivers11. Gooch CL, Pracht E, Borenstein AR. The burden of neurological disease in the United States: a summary report and call to action. Ann Neurol. 2017;81(4):479-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24897
https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24897...
,22. Wynford-Thomas R, Robertson NP. The economic burden of chronic neurological disease. J Neurol. 2017;264(11):2345-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-017-8632-7
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-017-8632-...
.
In the United States, the annual cost of the most prevalent neurological diseases is great, ≈ 790 billion American dollars; considering Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, chronic low back pain, stroke, traumatic brain injury, migraine headache, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and Parkinson's disease. In this ranking, epilepsy appears in the sixth position (≈ $37 billion American dollars per year). Thus, intersectoral and coordinated action plans are necessary for burden reductions11. Gooch CL, Pracht E, Borenstein AR. The burden of neurological disease in the United States: a summary report and call to action. Ann Neurol. 2017;81(4):479-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24897
https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24897...
.
Despite the high prevalence and the relevant economic burden of epilepsy, little investment has been put into research compared with cardiovascular diseases, for example. Therefore, knowledge about the benefits of different therapeutic approaches (including the nonpharmacological, such as physical activity and diet) is scarce. This seems counterintuitive, as a world that is aging progressively will have, not only cardiovascular but neurological diseases as well, become more prevalent.
In this sense, we would like to emphasize the important role of physical activity in reducing the economic burden (including mortality, morbidity and economic costs) of neurological diseases. Evidence has shown that physical activity can improve brain health and cognitive function. On the other hand, physical inactivity is associated with a range of chronic and neurological diseases, as well as premature mortality, and accounts for about 3.8% of cases of dementia worldwide33. Sallis JF, Bull F, Guthold R, Heath GW, Inoue S, Kelly P et al. Progress in physical activity over the Olympic quadrennium. Lancet. 2016;388(10051):1325-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30581-5
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30...
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Conservatively estimated, in 2013, physical inactivity cost health care systems worldwide ≈ $54 billion American dollars (distributed between public and private sectors, and households)44. Ding D, Lawson KD, Kolbe-Alexander TL, Finkelstein EA, Katzmarzyk PT, Mechelen W et al. The economic burden of physical inactivity: a global analysis of major non-communicable diseases. Lancet. 2016; 388(10051):1311-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30383-X
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30...
. Conversely, it was demonstrated that physical activity positively impacted health, as well as the burden of chronic and noncommunicable diseases (including neurological)33. Sallis JF, Bull F, Guthold R, Heath GW, Inoue S, Kelly P et al. Progress in physical activity over the Olympic quadrennium. Lancet. 2016;388(10051):1325-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30581-5
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30...
,44. Ding D, Lawson KD, Kolbe-Alexander TL, Finkelstein EA, Katzmarzyk PT, Mechelen W et al. The economic burden of physical inactivity: a global analysis of major non-communicable diseases. Lancet. 2016; 388(10051):1311-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30383-X
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30...
.
In particular, regarding epilepsy, studies with experimental models and humans demonstrated that physical activity had positive effects and acted as a protective factor against seizure frequency55. Arida RM, Cavalheiro EA, Silva AC, Scorza FA. Physical activity and epilepsy: proven and predicted benefits. Sports Med. 2008;38(7):607-15.. Therefore, it is reasonable to suppose that the economic burden of epilepsy, and other neurological diseases, could diminish with regular physical activity.
References
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1Gooch CL, Pracht E, Borenstein AR. The burden of neurological disease in the United States: a summary report and call to action. Ann Neurol. 2017;81(4):479-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24897
» https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24897 -
2Wynford-Thomas R, Robertson NP. The economic burden of chronic neurological disease. J Neurol. 2017;264(11):2345-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-017-8632-7
» https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-017-8632-7 -
3Sallis JF, Bull F, Guthold R, Heath GW, Inoue S, Kelly P et al. Progress in physical activity over the Olympic quadrennium. Lancet. 2016;388(10051):1325-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30581-5
» https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30581-5 -
4Ding D, Lawson KD, Kolbe-Alexander TL, Finkelstein EA, Katzmarzyk PT, Mechelen W et al. The economic burden of physical inactivity: a global analysis of major non-communicable diseases. Lancet. 2016; 388(10051):1311-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30383-X
» https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30383-X -
5Arida RM, Cavalheiro EA, Silva AC, Scorza FA. Physical activity and epilepsy: proven and predicted benefits. Sports Med. 2008;38(7):607-15.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Mar 2018
History
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Received
23 Nov 2017 -
Accepted
16 Jan 2018