title: Regional research priorities in brain and nervous system disorders.
abstract: The characteristics of neurological, psychiatric, developmental and substance-use disorders in low- and middle-income countries are unique and the burden that they have will be different from country to country. Many of the differences are explained by the wide variation in population demographics and size, poverty, conflict, culture, land area and quality, and genetics. Neurological, psychiatric, developmental and substance-use disorders that result from, or are worsened by, a lack of adequate nutrition and infectious disease still afflict much of sub-Saharan Africa, although disorders related to increasing longevity, such as stroke, are on the rise. In the Middle East and North Africa, major depressive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder are a primary concern because of the conflict-ridden environment. Consanguinity is a serious concern that leads to the high prevalence of recessive disorders in the Middle East and North Africa and possibly other regions. The burden of these disorders in Latin American and Asian countries largely surrounds stroke and vascular disease, dementia and lifestyle factors that are influenced by genetics. Although much knowledge has been gained over the past 10 years, the epidemiology of the conditions in low- and middle-income countries still needs more research. Prevention and treatments could be better informed with more longitudinal studies of risk factors. Challenges and opportunities for ameliorating nervous-system disorders can benefit from both local and regional research collaborations. The lack of resources and infrastructure for health-care and related research, both in terms of personnel and equipment, along with the stigma associated with the physical or behavioural manifestations of some disorders have hampered progress in understanding the disease burden and improving brain health. Individual countries, and regions within countries, have specific needs in terms of research priorities.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
authors.forename: Vijayalakshmi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ravindranath
authors.affiliation: Vietnam National University, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Hoang-Minh
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biochemical Research and School of Medicine, National University of La Plata, CC455, La Plata, 1900, Argentina.
authors.forename: Rodolfo G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Goya
authors.affiliation: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Mansoura University School of Medicine, Mansoura City, 35516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hader
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Vishwajit L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Nimgaonkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa.
authors.forename: Vivienne Ann
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D003906:Developing Countries; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology