Resilience and brain health in global populations

Abstract

Resilience is a multifaceted concept that spans biological, psychological and social domains, and is critical for population health—particularly brain health. While most existing research originates from the global north, there is an urgent need to explore resilience in the majority world settings, where unique biological, exposomal, economic and sociocultural factors shape health. In this Review, we highlight resilience as a key modifier of brain health outcomes. We explore the biological correlates of resilience and the influence of the exposome. We propose future synergistic integrations of exposome, cultural reserve, community resilience, allostasis and whole-body health principles to promote an inclusive perspective in diverse settings. This approach is particularly relevant for majority world contexts, where resource constraints and cultural diversity demand adaptive, scalable and context-sensitive strategies. We discuss measurement approaches and operationalization strategies and, finally, we identify key priorities for future research and policy strategies, with an emphasis on local relevance, equity and sustainability.