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How common are the "common" neurologic disorders?

From the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health (D.H., K.G.-H., M.M., A.R.C., R.Z.), Bethesda, MD; and National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health & Promotion/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (D.J.T.), Atlanta, GA.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Deborah Hirtz, NIH/NINDS, NSC, Room 2212, 6001 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892; e-mail: hirtzd{at}ninds.nih.gov

Abstract.

Objective: To estimate the current incidence and prevalence in the United States of 12 neurologic disorders.

Methods: We summarize the strongest evidence available, using data from the United States or from other developed countries when US data were insufficient.

Results: For some disorders, prevalence is a better descriptor of impact; for others, incidence is preferable. Per 1,000 children, estimated prevalence was 5.8 for autism spectrum disorder and 2.4 for cerebral palsy; for Tourette syndrome, the data were insufficient. In the general population, per 1,000, the 1-year prevalence for migraine was 121, 7.1 for epilepsy, and 0.9 for multiple sclerosis. Among the elderly, the prevalence of Alzheimer disease was 67 and that of Parkinson disease was 9.5. For diseases best described by annual incidence per 100,000, the rate for stroke was 183, 101 for major traumatic brain injury, 4.5 for spinal cord injury, and 1.6 for ALS.

Conclusions: Using the best available data, our survey of a limited number of disorders shows that the burden of neurologic illness affects many millions of people in the United States.

Footnotes

Additional material related to this article can be found on the Neurology Web site. Go to www.neurology.org and scroll down the Table of Contents for the January 30 issue to find the title link for this article.

Editorial, see page 322

See also pages 338 and 384

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Received June 20, 2006. Accepted in final form November 6, 2006.

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