A new analysis published in JAMA Neurology reveals that brain and nervous system conditions now affect more than half of all Americans. The data indicates roughly 180 million people are currently living with at least one neurological disease or disorder.
The findings are based on the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. Researchers analyzed U.S. data from 1990 to 2021, examining 36 conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. The study used a metric called disability-adjusted life years, or DALYs, which measures years lost to early death and years lived with disability.
This approach showed that neurological disorders were the leading cause of disability in the United States in 2021, accounting for 16.6 million DALYs.
The most common conditions were not Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, which people often associate with neurological disease. Instead, the analysis found the most prevalent issues are tension-type headaches, affecting about 122 million Americans; migraine, affecting about 58 million; and diabetic neuropathy, affecting about 17 million.
While these conditions often start earlier in life and may not be life-threatening, they can greatly disrupt daily life and productivity. The conditions responsible for the greatest overall health loss due to a combination of how common and how severe they are were stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, and migraine.
The total number of people with neurological conditions has grown, but the reason is primarily the aging of the U.S. population. When researchers adjusted their data for age, the prevalence of these disorders has remained essentially flat over the past 30 years and even declined slightly.
Americans are living longer, and many neurological conditions are more common later in life. At the same time, deaths from these diseases have fallen by about 15 percent since 1990, attributed to better prevention, faster diagnosis, and improved treatments and emergency care.
This creates a situation where more people are surviving neurological conditions and living with them for longer periods. The years lived with disability from these causes increased by nearly 10 percent, pointing to a need for better long-term management and support.
Research indicates that everyday choices can influence brain health. Factors that help protect the nervous system include managing blood sugar and blood pressure to reduce stroke and neuropathy risk, regular physical activity, prioritizing sleep, eating a diet with omega-3s and antioxidants, and staying socially and cognitively engaged.
The analysis underscores that neurological health is a widespread concern. Many of the biggest drivers of related disability, such as stroke and diabetic nerve damage, are influenced by factors that can be addressed through consistent lifestyle choices and medical management earlier in life.
