A PAHO study estimates nearly 470 million people across North and South America — about two in five residents — live with at least one neurological disorder. The analysis of 19 conditions across 38 countries (1990–2023) found age-adjusted death rates have declined while total cases rose due to population growth and ageing. The report highlights nearly a fourfold difference in impact between countries and calls for expanded prevention, diagnosis, rehabilitation and long-term care.
Nearly 470 Million People in the Americas Live With Neurological Disorders, PAHO Study Warns
Some neurological healthloss can be prevented by controlling or avoiding high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and harmful environmental exposures, say scientists. Sächsische Zeitung/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
New PAHO analysis finds neurological conditions widespread across the Americas
Researchers from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a regional office of the World Health Organization, report that nearly 470 million people across North and South America — roughly two in five residents — live with at least one neurological disorder.
Scope and Findings
The study analyzed 19 noncommunicable and injury-related neurological conditions across 38 countries and territories for the period 1990–2023. Conditions included stroke; Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias; Parkinson’s disease; epilepsy; migraine and tension-type headache; autism spectrum disorders; and traumatic brain injuries.
Published in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, the research found that age-adjusted death rates from neurological disorders have declined since 1990. While fewer people are dying from these conditions, the absolute number of people living with them has continued to rise, driven by population growth and ageing.
Inequities and Burden
The study highlights stark regional inequalities. Researchers identified nearly a fourfold difference in impact — measured by years of life lost to disease — between the most and least affected countries. Haiti, Guyana and Suriname were among the highest-impact countries, while Colombia, Peru and Argentina were among the lowest.
These disparities reflect both differences in exposure to risk factors and persistent gaps in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care across countries and territories.
Prevention and Policy Implications
PAHO notes that a substantial share of neurological health loss could be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use and harmful environmental exposures. As more people survive neurological events, the need for expanded long-term care, rehabilitation services and social support is growing.
Summary takeaway: Falling mortality rates mean survivors need sustained care, but major gaps and inequities persist across the region.
The findings point to an epidemiological transition: while the burden of some vascular and congenital neurological conditions has declined, neurodegenerative and other chronic disorders linked to ageing are becoming increasingly prominent. Policymakers and health systems will need to scale prevention, diagnostic capacity, rehabilitation and long-term care to meet rising demand.
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