The Brain Economy: Advancing Brain Science to Better Understand the Modern Economy

Harris A. Eyre, William Hynes, Rym Ayadi, Pawel Swieboda, Michael Berk, Agustin Ibanez, María E. Castelló, Dilip V. Jeste, Michelle Tempest, Jafri Malin Abdullah, Kelly O’brien, Steve Carnevale, Alfred K. Njamnshi, Michael Martino, Dan Mannix, Katrina Maestri, Ruojuan Yu, Shuo Chen, Chee H. Ng, Heinrich C. VolminkRajiv Ahuja, Frederic Destrebecq, George Vradenburg, Astrid Schmied, Facundo Manes, Michael L. Platt

Research output: Contribution to journalEditorial

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The coming years are likely to be turbulent due to a myriad of factors or polycrisis, including an escalation in climate extremes, emerging public health threats, weak productivity, increases in global economic instability and further weakening in the integrity of global democracy. These formidable challenges are not exogenous to the economy but are in some cases generated by the system itself. They can be overcome, but only with far-reaching changes to global economics. Our current socio-economic paradigm is insufficient for addressing these complex challenges, let alone sustaining human development, well-being and happiness. To support the flourishing of the global population in the age of polycrisis, we need a novel, person-centred and collective paradigm. The brain economy leverages insights from neuroscience to provide a novel way of centralising the human contribution to the economy, how the economy in turn shapes our lives and positive feedbacks between the two. The brain economy is primarily based on Brain Capital, an economic asset integrating brain health and brain skills, the social, emotional, and the diversity of cognitive brain resources of individuals and communities. People with healthy brains are essential to navigate increasingly complex systems. Policies and investments that improve brain health and hence citizens’ cognitive functions and boost brain performance can increase productivity, stimulate greater creativity and economic dynamism, utilise often underdeveloped intellectual resources, afford social cohesion, and create a more resilient, adaptable and sustainability-engaged population.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-13
Number of pages13
JournalMalaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume31
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • brain health
  • brain science
  • brain skills
  • economy
  • finance
  • medicine
  • mental health
  • neuroscience
  • psychiatry
  • research

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