Neurological Disorders: Types and Treatment Research
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2 Nov 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
Facts and information including recent research news and treatment options for Neurological Disorders affecting the human nervous system.
At a Glance
- 1 - Around 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy.
- 2 - Every year there are nearly 10 million new cases of dementia worldwide.
- 3 - Up to 70% of people with epilepsy could live seizure-free if properly diagnosed and treated.
- 4 - In 2021, 3.40 billion people, 43.1% of the world population, were living with a neurological condition.
Topic Definition
- Neurological Disorder
A neurological disorder is any disorder of the body's nervous system. Structural, biochemical or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord or other nerves can result in a range of symptoms. Examples of symptoms include paralysis, muscle weakness, poor coordination, loss of sensation, seizures, confusion, pain and altered levels of consciousness. Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all affected tissue, such as muscles. Physicians who specialize in neurology are called neurologists, and are trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat, neurological disorders. Although many mental illnesses are believed to be neurological disorders affecting the central nervous system, traditionally they are classified separately, and treated by psychiatrists.
Overview
Neurological disorders are diseases of the nervous system, which controls and coordinates the body's basic functions and activities. The nervous system has two main parts:
- The central nervous system, made up of the brain and spinal cord, which acts as a central processing station.
- The peripheral nervous system, made up of the nerves that carry messages between the brain and spinal cord and the muscles, organs, and other tissues of the body.
When these connections are disrupted, neurological symptoms occur. There are over 600 known neurological disorders and conditions, and for many of them treatment options are still limited. Besides the physical and mental toll on patients, families, and caregivers, these conditions cost hundreds of billions of dollars a year in medical care and lost productivity.
Causes of Neurological Disorders
- Some result from physical injury to the brain, spinal cord, or nerves.
- Some result from infections, tumors, problems with blood flow, inherited genes, or biochemical causes.
- Some develop as the nerve cells slowly break down (degenerative conditions).
- In other cases, the cause is unknown, and only the effects are seen.
Types of Neurological Disorders
Neurological disorders can affect the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscles. They include:
- Epilepsy
- Alzheimer's disease
- Other dementias, such as vascular dementia
- Cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke
- Migraine and other headache disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders
- Tourette's syndrome and other tic disorders
- Infections of the nervous system, such as meningitis and encephalitis
- Brain tumors
- Other cancers that spread to the nervous system
- Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries
- Neurological disorders caused by malnutrition
Neurological disorders are common. Some can be life-threatening, like brain tumors and strokes, while others are less dangerous but can still be disabling, like tension headaches and sleep disorders.
The Global Burden of Neurological Conditions
A 2024 study in The Lancet Neurology found that 3.40 billion people, 43.1% of the world population, were living with a neurological condition in 2021, making these conditions the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide [GBD 2021 Nervous System Disorders Collaborators, 2024]. Many brain disorders are long-lasting and cannot be cured, and their disabling effects can continue for years or decades. As the world's population ages, the number of people living with conditions such as stroke, dementia, and Parkinson's disease is expected to keep rising.
Facts and Statistics
- In 2021, 57 million people worldwide were living with dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60 to 70% of cases [World Health Organization, 2025].
- Around 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, nearly 80% of them in low- and middle-income countries. Up to 70% of people with epilepsy could live seizure-free if properly diagnosed and treated, yet three quarters of people with epilepsy in low-income countries do not get the treatment they need [World Health Organization, 2024].
- In its 2026 report, the Alzheimer's Association estimates that 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older have Alzheimer's disease, and that the number may grow to 13.8 million by 2060.
- Nearly 90,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year, and about 1 million are living with it, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.
- Autism spectrum disorder is now estimated to affect 1 in 31 children aged 8 in the United States, according to a 2025 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Neurological Disorders and Mental Health
Many mental illnesses involve the brain, but they are traditionally classified separately from neurological disorders and treated by psychiatrists rather than neurologists. They are also very common: the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that more than 1 in 5 American adults, 59.3 million people or 23.1%, lived with a mental illness in 2022, and 6.0% had a serious mental illness.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Neurologists diagnose neurological disorders with a medical history, a neurological examination of strength, reflexes, coordination, sensation, and thinking, and tests such as brain imaging (MRI or CT scans), electroencephalography (EEG), nerve conduction studies, and blood or spinal fluid tests. Treatment depends on the condition and may include medicines, surgery, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, assistive devices, and support for daily living. Early diagnosis can make a large difference, for example with clot-dissolving treatment for stroke or seizure medicines for epilepsy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between neurology and psychiatry?
Neurology diagnoses and treats disorders of the nervous system, while mental illnesses are traditionally classified separately and treated by psychiatrists, even though many are believed to affect the central nervous system.
What does a neurologist do?
A neurologist is a physician trained to investigate, diagnose, and treat diseases of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and affected tissue such as muscles.
What are the two main parts of the nervous system?
The nervous system has the central nervous system, made up of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which carries sensory information between the body and the brain.
What symptoms can signal a neurological disorder?
Symptoms can include paralysis, muscle weakness, poor coordination, loss of sensation, seizures, confusion, pain, and altered levels of consciousness.
Are all neurological disorders life threatening?
No, some like brain tumors and strokes can be life threatening, while others such as tension headaches and sleep disorders are less harmful though still potentially debilitating.
Can a neurological disorder be caused by malnutrition?
Yes, neurological disorders can result from malnutrition, as well as from physical injury, infections, biochemical causes, and in some cases causes that remain unknown.
Are mental disorders common among American adults?
Yes, the US National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than 1 in 5 American adults lived with a mental illness in 2022, and 6 percent had a serious mental illness.
What is neuropathy?
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, often causing numbness, tingling, burning pain, or weakness in the hands and feet. Diabetes is the most common cause.
References
- GBD 2021 Nervous System Disorders Collaborators. (2024). Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990 - 2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Neurology, 23(4), 344 - 381.
- World Health Organization. (2024). Epilepsy [Fact sheet].
- World Health Organization. (2025). Dementia [Fact sheet].
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team. Last updated: