Half of the United States Population Is Living With a Neurological Condition, According to a Comprehensive New Analysis
A major new analysis has revealed that one in two people in the United States—more than 180 million Americans, or roughly 54% of the population—are living with at least one neurological disease or disorder. This finding comes from a detailed examination of data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, conducted by researchers from the American Academy of Neurology and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The results were published in JAMA Neurology and represent one of the most extensive assessments of neurological health ever carried out in the United States.
Understanding the Scope of Neurological Disorders in the U.S.
The nervous system—made up of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves—is responsible for how people move, think, feel, and interact with the world. Because it controls so many essential functions, disorders affecting it can range from mild conditions that cause temporary discomfort to severe illnesses that alter a person’s entire life.
In this new analysis, researchers reviewed disability and mortality data associated with 36 different conditions that affect the nervous system. These conditions span a wide range of ages and categories. They include birth defects, neurodevelopmental disorders, common problems like migraine, and age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. According to the data, neurological conditions are not just common—they are, collectively, one of the biggest contributors to reduced quality of life in the country.
Which Conditions Affect Americans the Most?
Among all the neurological conditions analyzed, several stood out due to their extremely high prevalence:
- Tension-type headaches, impacting about 122 million Americans, were identified as the single most common neurological issue.
- Migraines affected approximately 58 million Americans, making them one of the leading causes of neurological discomfort and disability.
- Diabetic neuropathy, a nerve-damaging complication of diabetes, affected around 17 million people.
Although tension headaches are widespread, they tend to cause less serious disability than other neurological conditions. However, their sheer prevalence significantly influences national health statistics.
Measuring the Country’s Total Health Loss
To understand the full impact of neurological disorders, researchers used a metric known as disability-adjusted life-years, or DALYs. DALYs combine years of life lost due to premature death with years lived in less-than-optimal health. This provides a complete picture of how much “healthy life” is lost because of specific diseases.
The conditions responsible for the greatest combined health loss in the United States were:
- Stroke, with 3.9 million DALYs
- Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, with 3.3 million DALYs
- Diabetic neuropathy, with 2.2 million DALYs
- Migraine, with 2.1 million DALYs
These figures highlight how both common conditions (like migraine) and severe conditions (like stroke) heavily impact the population in different ways.
Comparing U.S. Rates to the Rest of the World
While the U.S. showed a neurological disease prevalence of 54%, the global average recorded in the Global Burden of Disease study was lower, at 43%. The difference is largely explained by the high number of Americans experiencing tension-type headaches, which—despite being less disabling—are extremely frequent.
Interestingly, although the U.S. has a high prevalence of neurological disorders, it performs relatively well when it comes to preventing deaths or long-term severe disability from these conditions. For example, stroke may occur more often in the U.S. compared to some regions of the world, but the death rate associated with stroke in America is lower, reflecting stronger acute care and medical infrastructure.
How Neurological Disease Burden Has Changed Over Time
Even though population numbers and demographics have shifted significantly since 1990, the age-adjusted prevalence of neurological disorders in the U.S. has essentially stayed the same, decreasing only 0.2% between 1990 and 2021. That means neurological conditions are not necessarily becoming more common because of new environmental or lifestyle exposures.
However, the total number of people living with neurological conditions has increased. One reason is that Americans are living longer with these conditions. Deaths from neurological causes dropped by 15%, and as a result, years lived with disability increased by 10%.
The total burden—expressed in DALYs—rose by 55% since 1990, but this increase is strongly linked to an aging population, which is more likely to experience disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and neuropathy. When researchers adjusted for the population’s changing age structure, the increase was much smaller, demonstrating that aging is a major driver of neurological health challenges.
What Conditions Were Not Included?
Although the analysis covered 36 neurological diseases, researchers noted that conditions with complex, multisystem involvement—such as HIV, which can include neurological complications—were excluded. This is because separating the neurological component from the rest of the disease was not always possible in the available datasets.
Why This Study Matters
These findings provide crucial insight for doctors, public health leaders, policymakers, and researchers. The results make it clear that neurological health affects more than just a subset of the population—it is a central part of national health and well-being.
Improving neurological health in the United States will likely require:
- Stronger investment in research
- Better access to neurological specialists
- Early detection and screening programs
- Improved long-term disability and rehabilitation care
- Public education about lifestyle factors related to brain and nerve health
Because neurological conditions influence work, relationships, mobility, and independence, strengthening neurological care systems could significantly improve quality of life for millions of Americans.
Additional Useful Context: Why So Many Neurological Conditions Exist
Neurological disorders are diverse because the nervous system itself is incredibly complex. A few reasons why these conditions are so prevalent include:
- High sensitivity of nerve cells: Neurons do not regenerate easily, so damage accumulates over time.
- Role of chronic diseases: Conditions like diabetes can cause neuropathy, while hypertension increases stroke risk.
- Lifestyle factors: Stress, poor sleep, and diet affect migraines and headaches.
- Increased longevity: As people live longer, age-related diseases like dementia become more common.
- Awareness and diagnosis improvements: More people today get diagnoses that once went unnoticed or unrecorded.
Understanding these factors helps explain why neurological disease rates look high and why they are likely to remain an important area of focus for public health in the future.
Research Paper Link
US Burden of Disorders Affecting the Nervous System (JAMA Neurology, 2025):
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.4470
