Neurological diseases continue to be a major health concern across Asia, with stroke, headache disorders, and Alzheimer's disease ranking as the some of the top contributors to disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2021. According to a new study ⧉ analyzing data from the Global Burden of Disease survey, stroke posed the most severe burden in East Asia, while headache disorders were most prominent in South Asia. The research also highlighted a significant reduction in age-standardized DALYs and death rates for neurological diseases over the past three decades, with the steepest decline observed in high-income Asia Pacific regions. However, despite these improvements, the overall burden peaked among males aged 65–74.
Neurological diseases caused 6.64 million deaths in 2021, second only to cardiovascular diseases, underscoring the need for targeted interventions addressing risks like hypertension and air pollution. The study suggests projections to 2045 of declining DALYs for stroke, infectious neurological diseases, Parkinson's disease, and idiopathic epilepsy in most regions. Trends for other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, will vary regionally. With Asia's aging population intensifying these shifts, researchers emphasize urgent prevention strategies.
Article
Burden of neurological diseases in Asia, from 1990 to 2021 and its predicted level to 2045: a Global Burden of Disease study
Authors: Rujing Yang, Xinyu Liu, Zhexuan Zhao, Yan Zhao & Xiaoqing Jin
Open Access | BMC Public Health
Article number: 706 (2025) | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21928-9
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