Your nervous system and cardiovascular system are tightly linked foundations for proper function. They work together to create a working system that ensures environmental stimuli are processed in your brain while your heart pumps the required amount of blood to keep up with demand. That’s why when one pillar begins to crack, the other often follows.
For example, when stroke occurs — a condition in which blood supply to part of the brain is blocked, or a blood vessel in the brain bleeds — brain function is immediately affected. You may suddenly have trouble speaking or understanding what others are saying.1 Nowadays, for some reason, conditions like these, as well as migraine, and Alzheimer’s disease are affecting a growing number of Americans.
While it may sound just like a string of unrelated coincidences, published research puts the scale of the problem into perspective — more Americans are living with neurological conditions today than in 1990, largely because the population is growing and living longer. In fact, findings show that more than half of the population has at least one disorder falling under this category.
Neurological Disorders Now Affect Over Half of Americans
A cross-sectional analysis, conducted by researchers with the American Academy of Neurology, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and several U.S. universities, estimated that 54.2% of Americans — around 180.3 million people — live with at least one condition affecting the nervous system. Published in JAMA Neurology, the researchers used data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 project to measure how these disorders contribute to overall disability and early death across the country.2
• Americans live with a wide range of neurological disorders — A total of 36 conditions that cause neurological damage were included in the study, which included tension-type headaches, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetic neuropathy.
The study reported that these conditions collectively account for 16.6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure showing years lost to disability and early death. Putting it into context, the researchers identified these disorders as the top cause of disability in the United States, accounting for 13% of all U.S. DALYs in 2021.2 Two of them — stroke and Alzheimer’s disease — also rank among the nation’s 10 leading causes of death.3
• A breakdown of the most common conditions — Tension-type headaches affected roughly 121.9 million Americans, while migraines impacted 57.7 million. Though these may sound like minor inconveniences, frequent episodes can disrupt concentration, sleep, and even digestion, reducing productivity and quality of life.
Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from high blood sugar) was also prevalent, affecting 17.1 million people. Stroke and Alzheimer’s disease topped the list for overall disability and premature death, accounting for 3.9 million and 3.3 million DALYs, respectively. An estimated 6.3 million Americans were living with stroke and 4.9 million with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
• Geographical inequality of neurological conditions — Southern states, including Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, showed the highest DALY rates, while Northeastern states such as New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey fared better. The researchers note that these states roughly correspond to the “Stroke Belt” and are more rural, with greater rates of preventable risk factors and more socioeconomically disadvantaged residents.
• Despite medical advances, progress has been mixed — The study looked back over three decades, comparing today’s data to that from 1990. After adjusting for age, the overall prevalence of neurological conditions barely changed — a shift of just 0.2% — but death rates dropped 14.6% while years lived with disability increased by 9.8%.
This means more people are surviving but living longer with disease-related complications. While mortality from stroke has decreased thanks to better emergency care and other treatments, the number of people living with post-stroke disability continues to climb. In addition, the number of people living with conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease has risen sharply alongside an aging population, and I believe widespread exposure to industrial toxins that harm the mitochondria also plays a role.
• The numbers also highlight the increasing disability accumulation — Because modern medicine has extended life expectancy, chronic neurological disorders now account for more years lived with disability. “The burden of lost health is accentuated by reductions in mortality for disorders across the age spectrum, where more life-years equate to greater accumulated disability,” the researchers emphasized.4
In other words, people are living longer, but not necessarily better. This shift has enormous implications for health care systems that struggle to manage neurological impairment, as they will need to come up with better programs.
• Prevalence is higher compared to other nations — In addition to more than half of the American population living with a condition affecting the nervous system (54.2%, compared with 43.1% worldwide), the researchers noted that the U.S. age-standardized prevalence rate “is the highest in the world.” This means that other nations around the world tend to have lower rates of neurological disorders in their populations.
• Suggestions for improvement — The featured study largely focused on the rates, leaving future analyses to formulate new plans on helping Americans manage neurological disorders. Nonetheless, the researchers still gave some recommendations that can serve as a springboard for change:5
“National health priorities should encourage robust funding for bench research to better understand causes for these disorders, translational studies to take work from the bench to the bedside, clinical trials in preparation for effective treatments, and postapproval investigations of comparative effectiveness, dissemination, and implementation.
Streamlining drug approval processes, incentivizing evidence-based care, and improving access to neurological specialists and disability care could yield vast dividends in US national health in the next 30 years.”
The Economic Impact of Neurological Disorders in America and Around the World
Looking outward, a study published in The Lancet Public Health highlighted that the global financial toll of brain-related disorders, which include both neurological and mental health conditions, has reached staggering levels. In this modelling study, the team estimated spending across 204 countries between 2000 and 2019 to quantify how much the world spends on 24 brain disorders.6
The study focused on 24 specific brain disorders, including both neurological diseases like stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. This featured study didn’t measure indirect losses like lost productivity or informal caregiving — it only counted the direct spending on hospitals, pharmaceuticals, nursing facilities, and home care, giving you an idea of the economic strain that nations experience around the world. The authors note that these are modeled estimates, that relative costs of care were derived from U.S. data, and that data were sparse for many low- and middle-income countries.
• Economic costs are staggering — The results showed that direct health care spending for brain disorders totaled $1.7 trillion in 2019 — nearly double what was spent two decades earlier. Moreover, the global spending rate grew 3.5% per year, underscoring that these disorders are not only medical concerns but also profound economic threats.
• The economic burden of neurological disorders — The data showed that neurological disorders made up 51.8% of global brain health spending, around $894 billion. Meanwhile, mental health accounted for the other 48.2%, roughly $830.3 billion.
Stroke was the single most expensive condition, costing more than $330 billion in 2019, followed by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias at $205 billion. These two conditions alone consumed over 30% of all global spending on brain health. Depressive and anxiety disorders together accounted for another 20%, reflecting the growing global burden of mental illness.
• Older adults account for the most spending — The study found that the heaviest spending occurred in older adults between ages 50 and 74, the same group that saw the steepest growth in spending. This matters because brain disorders in this age range can overlap with metabolic issues, which may make care more complex and costly.
As populations age worldwide, this combination of neurological and metabolic dysfunction could place growing strain on public health systems unless preventive approaches are more widely adopted.
• How spending is unevenly distributed around the world — High-income countries, which represent less than 20% of global brain-related DALYs, were responsible for 78% of total spending. In contrast, lower-middle-income and low-income countries together carried about 43% of the disease burden but accounted for only 2.7% of total spending.
This means health care systems in wealthier countries are pouring enormous sums into maintaining aging populations, while poorer nations are left with minimal resources to treat the same disorders. Thus, access to proper treatment is determined as much by geography and income as by medical need.
• Different types of care also drove costs in unique ways — Inpatient care represented the largest share of spending, accounting for 41.6% of all brain health costs. Ambulatory care, which includes outpatient visits and therapy sessions, was another major category, with anxiety disorders accounting for the greatest ambulatory spending of any brain disorder.
For neurological disorders, the data showed that conditions like encephalitis and stroke relied heavily on hospital-based care — nearly all encephalitis spending (98.3%) went to inpatient care, and stroke accounted for the greatest inpatient spending of any brain disorder. The takeaway here? In my view, supporting your health early through lifestyle and diet — and seeking timely care when you need it — makes far more sense, for both your health and your finances, than relying on late-stage hospital care.
• Differences by age group — Young adults, aged 20 to 34, accounted for the highest spending on drug use disorders, particularly opioid abuse, while middle-aged adults (35 to 49) saw the highest spending on depressive disorders. Adults 75 and older accounted for most of the spending on dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, dementia accounted for the largest share of nursing facility costs.
• Rising prices, not just more cases, drive spending growth — The researchers also highlighted rising prices per case, rather than higher disease rates alone, as the main driver of spending growth. In other words, the rising cost of care itself — not just illness — is fueling much of the financial strain.
Supporting Cellular Energy Production Is a Practical Place to Start
Understanding the biological side may help explain why these conditions are affecting more people. In my view, many neurological disorders share a common thread — mitochondrial dysfunction, which poor diet and exposure to environmental toxins can drive. When these energy producers inside your cells falter, your health can begin to stumble, too.
Since your cellular health can be affected by many factors, it makes sense to apply a multifaceted approach to repair it. Here’s an overview of my recommendations, which I also explain in detail in my book “Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Longevity and Joy.”
1. Minimize linoleic acid (LA) intake — I believe that excess LA intake is one of the biggest issues affecting mitochondrial function, which, in turn, may lie at the core of many diseases, including neurological conditions such as stroke. As I noted in a previous article, high LA intake can damage your blood vessels over time, which may increase inflammation and clotting risk.
LA is highly concentrated in seed oils (often sold as “vegetable oils”), which families typically use to cook their food at home. They’re also used by restaurants and fast food joints, so it’s best to avoid eating out whenever you can. Examples include sunflower, soybean, canola, and corn oil. If you do eat out, The Templeton List can help you find healthier restaurants.
Minimizing your LA intake is a big part of improving your cellular health. I recommend keeping your intake below 5 grams per day from all food sources, including meat. The Pax health platform contains the Seed-Oil Sleuth. This feature will help you track your LA intake down to a tenth of a gram.
2. Repair your gut health — Complex carbohydrates can help nourish the gut microbiome. Still, it isn’t wise to jump straight into foods containing complex carbohydrates if your gut is already compromised due to an unhealthy diet filled with ultraprocessed ingredients.
A 2022 narrative review notes that complex carbohydrates can help feed the beneficial microbes in your large intestine.7 But if your gut ecosystem is unbalanced, these same carbohydrates can also feed harmful bacteria. Exposure to metabolic disruptors, including excess LA and xenoestrogens, can make this imbalance more likely because they may reduce mitochondrial energy production. When energy output drops, oxygen can seep into the large intestine, creating conditions where pathogenic microbes thrive.
Most adults need to aim for 250 grams of targeted carbohydrates daily. Start with whole fruits and white rice to give your body fuel without overfeeding the bad bacteria in your gut. From there, as your digestion improves, gradually add root vegetables. Add legumes, and well-tolerated whole grains when you’re certain that gut function isn’t compromised anymore.
3. Reduce electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure — Two simple steps to cut down on everyday EMF exposure are turning off your Wi-Fi when not in use and switching to wired Ethernet connections. Be especially mindful of phone use at night. Since there’s no need for constant connectivity while you sleep, power your phone off entirely and use an analog alarm clock instead.
For additional information, I recommend reading my article, “EMFs Destroy Sperm Count” which goes into greater detail about different strategies to minimize EMF exposure in your home.
4. Reduce your plastic consumption — Like EMFs, plastics (many of which contain hormone-disrupting chemicals) are nearly unavoidable in modern life. Still, you can meaningfully reduce your exposure with these helpful strategies:
◦ Opt for products sold in glass containers rather than plastic whenever possible.
◦ Store your food in glass containers rather than plastic ones.
◦ Look for plastic-free alternatives to commonly used products at home, such as toothbrushes and toys.
◦ Choose reusable products over single-use ones, such as glass bottles for your drinks, cloth grocery bags, handkerchiefs, cloth diapers and nondisposable razors.
◦ Invest in a home filtration system for your drinking water. In addition, bring your own refillable water bottles when going out.
◦ Bring your own silverware, as well as glass containers in the event you have to dine outside.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Neurological Conditions in the United States
Q: How common are neurological disorders in the United States?
A: Around 180 million Americans live with at least one neurological disorder. These conditions now represent one of the leading causes of disability nationwide.
Q: Which neurological disorders are most widespread and disabling?
A: Common conditions include tension headaches, migraines, diabetic neuropathy, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. Tension headaches affect over 120 million Americans, while stroke and Alzheimer’s contribute most to disability and early death.
Q: Why are neurological disorders increasing despite medical advances?
A: Mortality has decreased thanks to better care, but years lived with disability have increased. People are surviving longer with chronic neurological complications. The researchers link this to lower mortality and an aging population, and I believe toxin exposure and mitochondrial dysfunction also play a role.
Q: What is the global economic impact of neurological and brain-related disorders?
A: Worldwide, direct health care spending on brain disorders reached $1.7 trillion in 2019, with neurological conditions accounting for over half. Stroke and dementia are the costliest, and spending is heavily concentrated in high-income countries.
Q: What strategies are recommended to improve neurological health and reduce long-term burden?
A: Researchers urge greater funding, streamlined drug approval, and better access to neurological care. Lifestyle changes, such as minimizing LA intake, repairing gut health, lowering EMF exposure, and reducing plastic use may help support cellular energy production on an individual level.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified health care provider before making changes to your health regimen.
