Burden of Neurological Disease

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease. In epidemiology, the unit of study is a person affected with a defined condition. Therefore, diagnosis is the essential prerequisite. After diagnosis, the most important question is the frequency of a disorder. This chapter is intended to provide a brief overview of the neurological burden of disease with a focus on disease morbidity. A review of epidemiological concepts is provided to assist the reader in interpreting epidemiological studies. Subsequently, the following conditions are reviewed: cerebrovascular disease, brain tumors, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson disease, and multiple sclerosis. A final section provides an overview of the incidence and prevalence of commonly encountered neurological disorders.