November 29, 2025

@michaelokun

What is the burden in the US of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other diseases? Spoiler alert: there are surges beyond the pure numbers and we need to raise awareness for the increases in both disability and burden. DALYs are a way to measure total health loss by combining years lived w/ disability and years of life lost. John Ney and colleagues describe in a new paper in JAMA Neurology that disorders affecting the nervous system remain the leading source of disability in the United States and that Parkinson disease has shown the largest growth in burden on society. Key Points: - Parkinson's showed the largest rise in age standardized DALYs, YLDs and YLLs among all neurological conditions highlighting a rapidly expanding burden across the nation. - Meningitis demonstrated the steepest declines in neurological burden reflecting major public health victories in prevention and acute care. - Neurological disorders collectively affected over half of the US population in 2021 and remain the top cause of disability, underscoring an urgent need for prevention strategies and new therapies. My take: Don't just look at the numbers folks, look at the burden on society. I circled Parkinson's as well as Alzheimer's and other dementias to draw your attention to the looming crises for these two, however there are others. Here are 5 points that resonated w/ me: 1- Parkinson's is increasing faster than any other major neurodegenerative condition, which should inspire us to focus the nation on prevention, environmental risk reduction and earlier recognition. 2- Meningitis declines show that smart public health strategies can dramatically improve outcomes, offering hope that similar approaches can work for other neurological diseases. 3- Neurological disorders touch nearly every family in the United States making brain health a central issue for long term well being. 4- Rising years lived w/ disability translates to more Americans surviving, however living longer w/ neurological symptoms demands strong rehabilitation and support systems. 5- Investing in prevention, access to therapies and strengthening care teams can reduce neurological burden #michaelokun #parkinson #fixelinstitute