American Academy of Neurology: One in two people in the U.S. is affected by a neurological disease or disorder

Key findings

• A new systematic analysis shows more than half the people living in the U.S., 54%, are affected by a neurological disease or disorder.
• Disorders of the nervous system impacted more than 180 million of the nearly 333 million Americans in 2021 and were the top cause of health loss in the U.S.
• The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves.
• The most prevalent conditions were tension-type headache affecting 122 million Americans, migraine affecting 58 million and diabetic neuropathy affecting 17 million.
• The leading causes of health loss were stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy and migraine.