One-third of the global population is affected by neurological disease

An estimated 3.40 billion individuals are impacted by 37 nervous system conditions worldwide, noted researchers in a study published in the Lancet Neurology. Collectively, the 37 conditions were the leading cause of disability-adjusted life-years in 2021, increasing 18% from 1990.

As the global population continues to age, the nervous system disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, continue to be a topic of research. In this study, the investigators hoped to quantify the global, regional, and national burdens of nervous system disorders.

The study revealed that stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, dementia, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications from preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer were the top 10 neurological conditions that contributed to poor health in 2021.

Despite a rise in DALY counts associated with some neurological conditions, the research revealed that the global age-standardized death rate for these conditions actually declined by 33.6% from 1990 to 2021.

However, there is a disproportionate risk of death depending on geographic location, as over 80% of nervous system disorder-associated deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO notes that access to treatment also varies globally, with a significantly higher proportion of neurological professionals in high-income countries.

“Neurological conditions cause great suffering to the individuals and families they affect and rob communities and economies of human capital,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, WHO Director-General, in a WHO press release highlighting the data. “This study should serve as an urgent call to action to scale up targeted interventions to allow the growing number of people living with neurological conditions to access the quality care, treatment, and rehabilitation they need. It is more important than ever to ensure brain health is better understood, valued, and protected, from early childhood to later life.”

The study offers ways to mitigate neurological conditions' impacts, including eliminating key risk factors by managing high blood pressure, exposure to air pollution, and other lifestyle or environmental factors. However, more research on these conditions, prevention strategies, and treatments is necessary.