Nerveous System disabilities - half of the US (Vitamin D helps)
US Burden of Disorders Affecting the Nervous System -From the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study
JAMA Neurol Published Online: November 24, 2025 doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.4470
John P. Ney, MD, MPH1; Jaimie D. Steinmetz, PhD, MSc2; Ellen Anderson-benge, MS3
Key Points
Question What is the US burden of disorders affecting the nervous system?
Findings This cross-sectional study of the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study data found that, among the US population of 332.7 million, disorders affecting nervous system health impacted 180.3 million US individuals and were the top cause of disability, with 16.6 million disability-adjusted life-years. Conditions with the greatest collective disability were stroke, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, and migraine.
Meaning Given the high prevalence of disorders affecting the nervous system, the United States should prioritize efforts to combat these conditions with new prevention strategies, therapeutics, and focused rehabilitation.
Abstract
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's 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.
Searching for most of the following will find data in Vitamin D Life
Headache Migraine Stroke Alzheimer dementia Traumatic brain injury Epilepsy Spinal cord injury Parkinson disease Multiple sclerosis Nervous system cancer ALS Meningitis Guillain-Barré syndrome ADHD Autism Idiopathic intellectual disability Diabetes Preterm birth COVID-19 Neonatal encephalopathy Neurocysticercosis Congenital birth defects Genes Down syndrome Neonatal sepsis Fetal alcohol syndrome Neural tube defects Jaundice
Neurologic Disorders Now the Leading Cause of Disability in the US Medscape
"Global data suggest that about one third of people worldwide live with a disorder affecting nervous system function. However, prevalence in the US is nearly 10% higher than that in other countries."
"From 1990 to 2021, there was a sharp rise in the US neurologic disease burden. The prevalence of neurologic disorders increased by 34.4% "
Since the study, there has been a 15X increase in POTS due to COVID
"1.42 cases per 1,000,000 prior to the pandemic to 22.66 cases per 1,000,000 post-COVID"