CSUR as a Key to Equity in Neurological Disease Treatment

Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) calculates what’s between 21 and 23 million people suffer from some neurological disorder in our country. Many of these diseases are associated with aging (such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease or dementia), but there are also pathologies of varying severity that begin to have a significant impact at a younger age, for example: migraine wave epilepsy. Given this scenario, SEN believes it is necessary to improve equity in access to health care, as “there is still big differences between different regions“. To do this, they cite the example of Help Centers (CSURs), which they believe “can guarantee this equality.” To improve efficiency, the organization also explained the importance of “move towards more holistic medicine“In neurological diseases, using multidisciplinary units that work with patients with ALS as a role model is what should be”extend to other pathologies“.

SEN also prioritizes deeper work on “the development and implementation early strategic plansbased on forecasts agreed upon by the most significant scientific organizations”, what is currently works “not enough”“. In the future, the organization confirms that it will be possible to carry out earlier diagnoses neurological diseases, with innovative treatments and better tools for monitoring patients, but this requires a large number of resources of “all types”as published by the organization in its latest report, “The Impact of Neurological Diseases on Society and Health in Spain.”

The increase in morbidity and cases of neurological disorders in the coming years makes SEN considered the future as an “epidemic”considering the increase in “incidence and prevalence of the vast majority of diseases” such as stroke, to 89 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2030 or prevalence of multiple sclerosisincreasing from 75 percent in 2015 to 85 percent in 2040. This is a situation that will lead to higher healthcare costs in the future and the number of neurologists needs to be increased in the National Health System (SNS), which SEN estimates is 40 percent morea circumstance which made them ask that the PEACE should last one more year.

Early diagnosis, “unmet medical need”

Cognitive impairment is one of the most common reasons for visiting a neurologist, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease, even in 70 percent of cases. In Spain, it affected about 2.2 percent of the population in 2022, and by 2050 the figure is estimated to rise to almost 4 percent. Early diagnosis of this pathology is “currently unmet need“According to SEN, although in the future it will be necessary to use treatments that act directly on physiopathogenic changes.

Regarding Parkinson’s disease, the report mentions that in 2030. Neurology will be able to make an “earlier and more accurate” diagnosis using biomarkers and assessments by a specialized neurologist, as well as give innovative treatment based on monitoring.

Hypodiagnosis of neuropathic pain

Another common health problem associated with neurological pathologies is pain, which chronically affects one in five people in the population. Spanish population. This type of illness includes neuropathic pain, which, due to its complex approach, is underdiagnosed and representsunmet medical need“, reports SEN.

Chronic pain has a comorbidity associated with mental illness and causes an increase in mortality, causing disability and addiction in 30-50 percent of people suffering from it. In addition, the scientific organization stated that among direct and indirect costshis treatment includes about 3 percent of GDPTherefore, biopsychosocial and pharmacological interventions, when appropriate, “are beneficial not only from a human point of view, but also also economical“, as indicated in SEN.

Neuroscience Applications of the Future

He aging population And chronicity of neurological diseases will lead to an increase in prevalence in the future, as well as “overwhelm the healthcare system,” according to the Spanish Society of Neurology. Development of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools Digital biomarkers in medicine will be critical for future treatment as well as research into various pathologies. According to SEN, diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring will also be improved by AI, especially in the area of ​​“neuroimaging, biosensors, electrophysiology, neurostimulation and telemedicine“.

The scientific institution explained some specific examples that have already reached clinical practice, for example: “sensors for predicting epilepsyParkinson’s monitoring and cognitive rehabilitation of patients with dementia.” The organization believes that there will be greater adoption of these achievements in the healthcare systemeven with “recipe application and devices with indications to improve patients’ lives,” they explained.