Brain disorders cost Europe €800bn a year

Europe spends more on brain disorders than on cardiovascular disease and cancer combined, a comprehensive study commissioned by the European Brain Council has found.

The study, published in European Neuropsychopharmacology (doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.08.008), found that Europe spends €798bn (£685bn; $1060bn) a year on neurological and psychiatric conditions, €192bn on cardiovascular disease, and €150-250bn on cancer. The total costs comprised direct costs, such as treatment, and indirect costs, such as the cost of sickness absence.

The most costly group of brain disorders was mood disorders, including major depression and bipolar disorders (€113bn a year) and dementia (€105bn).

The researchers, who came from across Europe, used existing prevalence and economic data to estimate the costs of 19 groups of brain disorders in 30 European countries …