In January 2026, Paris became the stage for a major shift in the way brain health is addressed worldwide. Held as part of the 15th anniversary of the Paris Brain Institute, the World Brain Health Forum 2026 brought together 80 international speakers and more than 1,000 participants across three emblematic venues: the Paris Brain Institute, the UNESCO House and the French Academy of Sciences.

For the first time at this scale, scientists, political leaders, institutional stakeholders and economists came together to affirm a shared vision: brain health must now be considered a strategic global issue, shaping public policies, economic resilience and social cohesion. 

Among the high-level speakers were: 

• HE Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations,
• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization,
• Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO,
• Philippe Aghion, Nobel Prize in Economics 2025.

A new space for dialogue

Their contributions reflected the Forum’s ambition: to create a new space for dialogue between science and decision-making, and to anchor brain health within major international agendas. 

Throughout the Forum, discussions moved beyond disciplinary boundaries to underline a common priority: the future of brain health depends on stronger international cooperation, open science and data sharing, and the full integration of countries from the Global South into global research dynamics. Brain health can no longer be addressed in silos; it requires coordinated, long-term and inclusive strategies. 

Prof. Dr. Stéphanie Debette, Executive Director of the Paris Brain Institute, opened by highlighting the pivotal moment we're at, full of technological advances, including AI, and other breakthroughs. She advocated that high-level decisions on brain health and funding need to be guided by the best scientific evidence, which is why she hosted this meeting to shape the discussions of the G7, hosted by France this year.

Olivier Goy, ambassador of the Paris Brain Institute living with ALS, gave a powerful and moving opening address about patients as partners in research, interwoven with his personal experiences.

A role for CURE-ND

The event was organized in partnership with the CURE-ND alliance, with all CURE-ND directors being part of the organizing committee and speakers. Our scientific chair Prof. Dr. Mathieu Vandenbulcke had the honour of co-chairing the first session, "Towards a holistic approach to brain health". He opened the discussion panel stating that we are living in exciting times, with the growing insight that brain diseases are often preventable and even treatable. He shared his belief that neurology and psychiatry should be more strongly connected, rather than considered separate fields.

CURE-ND co-director Prof. Dr. Joachim Schultze (DZNE) argued that brain health is more than focusing on the brain and goes beyond medicine, while also co-director Prof. Dr. Siddhartan Chandran (UK DRI) used this occasion to emphasize the importance of international, transdisciplinary collaboration and showcase the prime example of CURE-ND in this.

World Brain Health Forum: a foundation for the future 

The conclusions of the World Brain Health Forum 2026 will serve as a foundation for future collaborations, policy recommendations and international research initiatives. The Forum marks the beginning of a long-term collective process aimed at structuring a global ecosystem for brain health. 

By bringing together scientific excellence and global leadership, the World Brain Health Forum opens a new chapter for brain health, one rooted in cooperation, responsibility and shared commitment to the future. 

(Text based on Paris Brain Institute; photos: Simon Cassanas / Paris Brain Institute)