Summary: A comprehensive national analysis shows that over 180 million Americans—more than half the U.S. population—are living with a neurological disease or disorder. These conditions span the lifespan, from neurodevelopmental disorders to migraines to age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
While mortality from neurological illness has declined by 15% since 1990, the years lived with disability have risen by 10% due to improved survival and an aging population. The findings underscore the urgent need for expanded neurological care, prevention strategies, and early detection to support a population increasingly affected by brain and nerve disorders.
Key Facts
- Massive Prevalence: Over 180 million Americans—54% of the population—live with a neurological condition.
- Highest Burden Conditions: Stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetic neuropathy, and migraine account for the most years of life lost to disability.
- Longer Survival: Deaths from neurological disease dropped 15% since 1990, but disability years increased because people are living longer with these conditions.
Source: AAN
One in two people in the United States, just over half of the population, is affected by a neurological disease or disorder, according to a new systematic analysis by the American Academy of Neurology and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation published on November 24, 2025, in the journal JAMA Neurology.
The nervous system is the body’s command center, directing how you move, think and feel. It includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves.
Researchers analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. It is the largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time, with more than 17,000 collaborators from 167 countries and territories around the world.
Using that study, researchers evaluated disability and mortality rates for 36 medical conditions that impact nervous system health across the U.S. population. In this analysis, they found over 180 million Americans, or 54% of the population, had at least one of these conditions.
“This new analysis showing one in two people in the U.S. is affected by a neurological disease or disorder is an urgent call to action,” said American Academy of Neurology President Natalia S. Rost, MD, MPH, FAAN, FAHA.
“It emphasizes the importance of accelerating research and discovery to achieve scientific breakthroughs in preventing and treating neurological diseases and disorders. With these efforts, led by neurologists and neuroscientists, the experts in brain health, we can improve brain health for all.”
The 36 medical conditions included in the systematic analysis cover the lifespan, from birth defects and neurodevelopmental disorders like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to migraine, which can begin in teen years and often peak in a person’s 30s, to Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, which can occur later in life.
Researchers found the most prevalent conditions were tension-type headache affecting 122 million Americans, migraine affecting 58 million and diabetic neuropathy affecting 17 million.
“Disorders of the nervous system are highly prevalent and cause disability for millions of Americans,” said author John P. Ney, MD, MPH, FAAN, of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
“Healthy brain, spinal cord and nerve function allows for greater participation in employment, relationships and improved quality of life. Increasing access to neurological and disability care could have substantial benefits for people across the United States.”
The prevalence of conditions affecting the nervous system was higher in the U.S. population than in the global population, which was 43%. This is largely driven by tension-type headaches, which are very common but carry a lower burden of disability compared to many other neurological conditions.
The authors note while these 36 neurological diseases and disorders are widespread, the U.S. performs relatively well in preventing deaths and long-term disability from these conditions. For example, the stroke rate is higher in the U.S. than in some other world regions, but the death rate is comparatively low.
“Neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders account for a disproportionate share of disability, illness and death across the United States,” said author Jaimie Steinmetz, PhD, MSc, of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle.
“Our analysis, the most comprehensive assessment of neurological burden in the U.S. to date, highlights the importance of investing in neurological health, including prevention, early detection and equitable neurological care.”
Researchers looked at disability-adjusted life-years, a metric that captures total health loss in the population. It accounts for the frequency and severity of disease and the number of years of life lost due to early death.
Conditions with the greatest collective health loss were stroke with 3.9 million disability-adjusted life-years, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias with 3.3 million, diabetic neuropathy with 2.2 million and migraine with 2.1 million disability-adjusted life-years.
After adjusting for changes in the age composition of the U.S. population, researchers found that the prevalence rate of neurological diseases and disorders has remained stable over time, with only a 0.2% decrease between 1990 and 2021.
Over the same period, deaths from neurological diseases and disorders declined by 15%, meaning more people are living longer with these conditions. As a result, the number of years lived with disability increased by 10%.
“Our analysis found that total disability-adjusted life-years from neurological diseases and disorders in the U.S. increased by 55% between 1990 and 2021,” said Ney.
“However, when accounting for the effects of an aging population, the increase was much smaller. This pattern shows that much of the rise in neurological disease burden is linked to an older U.S. population that is more vulnerable to conditions affecting the nervous system.”
A limitation of the systematic analysis was that some diseases and disorders that affect multiple systems of the body, such as HIV, were excluded because the neurological component could not be easily isolated.
Funding: The systematic analysis was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Key Questions Answered:
A: New national estimates show that 1 in 2 Americans lives with at least one neurological condition.
A: Stroke, Alzheimer’s and related dementias, diabetic neuropathy, and migraine account for the greatest total burden.
A: People are living longer with neurological conditions due to improved survival, increasing years spent with disability.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this neurology research news
Author: Natalie Conrad
Source: AAN
Contact: Natalie Conrad – AAN
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“US Burden of Disorders Affecting the Nervous System: From the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study” by John P. Ney et al. JAMA Neurology
Abstract
US Burden of Disorders Affecting the Nervous System: From the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study
Importance
Nervous system health is a major contributor to population health, which is directly affected by neurological conditions and other disorders where nervous system damage occurs.
Objective
To quantify aggregated health loss from diseases affecting the nervous system, including neurological disorders; neurodevelopmental disorders; congenital, neonatal, and systemic illnesses; and infectious diseases in the United States.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This is a cross-sectional study of the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study data for nervous system health loss confined to the United States from 1990 through 2021 among the entire US population. Data analysis was performed from December 2021 to January 2025.
Exposure
Thirty-six unique conditions that cause harm to the nervous system.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Totals and age-standardized estimates with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), total attributable deaths (where applicable), and prevalence.
Results
In 2021, of the US population of 332.7 million, disorders affecting nervous system health impacted 180.3 million (95% UI, 170.7 million to 190.4 million) US individuals and were the top cause of disability, with 16.6 million (95% UI, 12.9 million to 20.9 million) DALYs. The most prevalent conditions were tension-type headache (121.9 million; 95% UI, 109.4 million to 135.1 million), migraine (57.7 million; 95% UI, 50.1 million to 66.1 million), and diabetic neuropathy (17.1 million; 95% UI, 14.4 million to 19.9 million).
Conditions with the greatest collective disability were stroke (3.9 million DALYs; 95% UI, 3.5 million to 4.2 million DALYs), Alzheimer disease and other dementias (3.3 million DALYs; 95% UI, 1.6 million to 6.9 million DALYs), diabetic neuropathy (2.2 million DALYs; 95% UI, 1.5 million to 3.0 million DALYs), and migraine (2.1 million DALYs; 95% UI, 0.4 million to 4.6 million DALYs).
Compared with age-standardized metrics in 1990, the prevalence of disorders affecting the nervous system was nearly identical (−0.2%; 95% UI, −1.5% to 1.9%), with decreased attributable deaths (−14.6%; 95% UI, −18.3% to −11.3%) but increased YLDs (9.8%; 95% UI, 4.6% to 16.6%). By state, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana had the largest age-standardized DALY rates, while New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey had the smallest.
Conclusions and Relevance
Disorders affecting the nervous system are highly prevalent and cause disability for millions of US individuals, with reduced mortality leading to more YLDS. The United States should prioritize efforts to combat these conditions with development and implementation of new and effective prevention strategies, therapeutics, and focused rehabilitation.
