Neurological Illness Affects Millions Of Americans

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Neurological Illness Affects Millions Of Americans

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=61984

A team of US scientists has established that millions of Americans,

across all age groups, have some degree of recognized neurological

illness.

The study is published in the journal Neurology.

The study team comprises six scientists representing the National

Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) and the

National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, land; and the

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health and

Promotion, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in

Atlanta, Georgia. The study was led by Dr. Deborah Hirtz, of the

NIH/NINDS in Bethesda.

Using data from the US and other developed countries when the US

data wasn't good enough, the researchers estimated the prevalence

and incidence of 12 different neurological disorders among Americans.

The 12 disorders they included were:

- Autistic spectrum disorders, including Asperger's Syndrome

- Cerebral palsy

- Tourette syndrome

- Migraine

- Epilepsy

- Multiple Sclerosis

- Alzheimer's Disease

- Parkinson's Disease

- Stroke

- Major traumatic brain injury

- Spinal cord injury

- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease - a

type of motor neurone disease)

In some cases they used prevalence, or the proportion of people with

the disorder, which is a more suitable way of estimating impact for

long lasting diseases, such as epilepsy, and in other cases they

used incidence or rate, which is more suitable for measuring impact

of diseases of shorter duration, or that can strike more than once

in the same person, such as injuries.

In the case of children, Dr Hirtz and colleagues estimated that for

every 1,000 children, the prevalence is 5.8 for autistic spectrum

disorders and 2.4 for cerebral palsy. There was insufficient data to

give a good estimated prevalence for Tourettes, but they said if

they were asked to guess it they would say it was around 3.5 per

1,000 children.

In the general population, they estimated that the 1-year prevalence

for migraine was 121, while for epilepsy it was 7.1 and for multiple

sclerosis it was 0.9.

And in the elderly population the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease

was 67 per 1,000, while that of Parkinson's was 9.5.

In terms of those illnesses measured by rate or incidence, the

measure used is incidence per 100,000. Among these were stroke at

183, major traumatic brain injury at 101, spinal cord injury at 4.5

and ALS at 1.6.

When these figures are translated into proportions of the overall

population, they add up to millions of Americans living with one or

more of these 12 neurological illnesses. For example, half a million

American children have an autistic disorder, over 2 million

Americans have epilepsy, nearly 3 million have had a stroke, more

than 35 million suffer migraines.

In the same edition of the journal, Dr Alpert of the

University of Pittsburgh points out that the studies that

contributed to these findings did not all use the same methods for

measuring rates and prevalence, and neither did they use the same

methods to diagnose illnesses. So in his view while the figures are

interesting, they are probably not accurate.

Dr Hirtz and colleagues left out many other conditions that could

have counted as being equally burdensome. For instance mental

retardation, sleep disorders, chronic pain. The reason was that

these conditions are often treated by non-neurologists and do not

have as well defined criteria for diagnosis.

They also acknowledged that these figures do not capture the full

extent of the burden of these disorders. For a more realistic

assessment of the burden of these illnesses, the figures would have

to include estimates of the duration, intensity, degree of

disability, frequency, impact on life expectancy, and some measure

of the suffering they cause, as well as the wider impact on family

and society at large.

" How common are the " common " neurologic disorders? "

D. Hirtz, MD, D. J. Thurman, MD, MPH, K. Gwinn-Hardy, MD, M.

Mohamed, MPH, A. R. Chaudhuri, PhD and R. Zalutsky, PhD.

Neurology 2007;68:326-337

[Guest guest]

They conveniently left out the *Mental Health* neurologically damaged..such as OCD, et al. ng

Neurological Illness Affects Millions Of Americans

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=61984Neurological Illness Affects Millions Of AmericansArticle Date: 31 Jan 2007 - 0:00 PSTA team of US scientists has established that millions of Americans,across all age groups, have some degree of recognized neurologicalillness.The study is published in the journal Neurology.The study team comprises six scientists representing the NationalInstitutes of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) and theNational Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, land; and theNational Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health andPromotion, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inAtlanta, Georgia. The study was led by Dr. Deborah Hirtz, of theNIH/NINDS in Bethesda.Using data from the US and other developed countries when the US datawasn't good enough, the researchers estimated the prevalence andincidence of 12 different neurological disorders among Americans.The 12 disorders they included were:- Autistic spectrum disorders, including Asperger's Syndrome- Cerebral palsy- Tourette syndrome- Migraine- Epilepsy- Multiple Sclerosis- Alzheimer's Disease- Parkinson's Disease- Stroke- Major traumatic brain injury- Spinal cord injury- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease - a typeof motor neurone disease)In some cases they used prevalence, or the proportion of people withthe disorder, which is a more suitable way of estimating impact forlong lasting diseases, such as epilepsy, and in other cases they usedincidence or rate, which is more suitable for measuring impact ofdiseases of shorter duration, or that can strike more than once in thesame person, such as injuries.In the case of children, Dr Hirtz and colleagues estimated that forevery 1,000 children, the prevalence is 5.8 for autistic spectrumdisorders and 2.4 for cerebral palsy. There was insufficient data togive a good estimated prevalence for Tourettes, but they said if theywere asked to guess it they would say it was around 3.5 per 1,000children.In the general population, they estimated that the 1-year prevalencefor migraine was 121, while for epilepsy it was 7.1 and for multiplesclerosis it was 0.9.And in the elderly population the prevalence of Alzheimer's diseasewas 67 per 1,000, while that of Parkinson's was 9.5.In terms of those illnesses measured by rate or incidence, the measureused is incidence per 100,000. Among these were stroke at 183, majortraumatic brain injury at 101, spinal cord injury at 4.5 and ALS at 1.6.When these figures are translated into proportions of the overallpopulation, they add up to millions of Americans living with one ormore of these 12 neurological illnesses. For example, half a millionAmerican children have an autistic disorder, over 2 million Americanshave epilepsy, nearly 3 million have had a stroke, more than 35million suffer migraines.In the same edition of the journal, Dr Alpert of the Universityof Pittsburgh points out that the studies that contributed to thesefindings did not all use the same methods for measuring rates andprevalence, and neither did they use the same methods to diagnoseillnesses. So in his view while the figures are interesting, they areprobably not accurate.Dr Hirtz and colleagues left out many other conditions that could havecounted as being equally burdensome. For instance mental retardation,sleep disorders, chronic pain. The reason was that these conditionsare often treated by non-neurologists and do not have as well definedcriteria for diagnosis.They also acknowledged that these figures do not capture the fullextent of the burden of these disorders. For a more realisticassessment of the burden of these illnesses, the figures would have toinclude estimates of the duration, intensity, degree of disability,frequency, impact on life expectancy, and some measure of thesuffering they cause, as well as the wider impact on family andsociety at large."How common are the "common" neurologic disorders?"D. Hirtz, MD, D. J. Thurman, MD, MPH, K. Gwinn-Hardy, MD, M. Mohamed,MPH, A. R. Chaudhuri, PhD and R. Zalutsky, PhD.Neurology 2007;68:326-337Click here for Abstract.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (US).Written by: Catharine PaddockWriter: Medical News Today

[Guest guest]

From same study ...

Multiple Sclerosis 50 Percent More Common Than Thought

WebMD reports:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may be 50 percent more common in the United

States than previously thought, according to a new research review.

Almost one in 1,000 people in the United States has MS, according to

the review.

" Our estimate of MS prevalence is about 50 percent higher than a

comprehensive review from 1982, " says researcher Deborah Hirtz,

M.D., in an American Academy of Neurology news release.

" Whether this reflects improvement in diagnosis or whether incidence

is actually increasing deserves further study, " says Hirtz, who

works at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

You can find more information on MS here:

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

MedlinePlus MS information and news page

NINDS Multiple Sclerosis page

Mayo Clinic MS page

>

> http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=61984

>

> Neurological Illness Affects Millions Of Americans

> Article Date: 31 Jan 2007 - 0:00 PST

>

> A team of US scientists has established that millions of Americans,

> across all age groups, have some degree of recognized neurological

> illness.

>

> The study is published in the journal Neurology.

>

> The study team comprises six scientists representing the National

> Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) and the

> National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, land; and the

> National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health and

> Promotion, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in

> Atlanta, Georgia. The study was led by Dr. Deborah Hirtz, of the

> NIH/NINDS in Bethesda.

>

> Using data from the US and other developed countries when the US

data

> wasn't good enough, the researchers estimated the prevalence and

> incidence of 12 different neurological disorders among Americans.

>

> The 12 disorders they included were:

>

> - Autistic spectrum disorders, including Asperger's Syndrome

> - Cerebral palsy

> - Tourette syndrome

> - Migraine

> - Epilepsy

> - Multiple Sclerosis

> - Alzheimer's Disease

> - Parkinson's Disease

> - Stroke

> - Major traumatic brain injury

> - Spinal cord injury

> - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease - a

type

> of motor neurone disease)

>

> In some cases they used prevalence, or the proportion of people

with

> the disorder, which is a more suitable way of estimating impact for

> long lasting diseases, such as epilepsy, and in other cases they

used

> incidence or rate, which is more suitable for measuring impact of

> diseases of shorter duration, or that can strike more than once in

the

> same person, such as injuries.

>

> In the case of children, Dr Hirtz and colleagues estimated that for

> every 1,000 children, the prevalence is 5.8 for autistic spectrum

> disorders and 2.4 for cerebral palsy. There was insufficient data

to

> give a good estimated prevalence for Tourettes, but they said if

they

> were asked to guess it they would say it was around 3.5 per 1,000

> children.

>

> In the general population, they estimated that the 1-year

prevalence

> for migraine was 121, while for epilepsy it was 7.1 and for

multiple

> sclerosis it was 0.9.

>

> And in the elderly population the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease

> was 67 per 1,000, while that of Parkinson's was 9.5.

>

> In terms of those illnesses measured by rate or incidence, the

measure

> used is incidence per 100,000. Among these were stroke at 183,

major

> traumatic brain injury at 101, spinal cord injury at 4.5 and ALS

at 1.6.

>

> When these figures are translated into proportions of the overall

> population, they add up to millions of Americans living with one or

> more of these 12 neurological illnesses. For example, half a

million

> American children have an autistic disorder, over 2 million

Americans

> have epilepsy, nearly 3 million have had a stroke, more than 35

> million suffer migraines.

>

> In the same edition of the journal, Dr Alpert of the

University

> of Pittsburgh points out that the studies that contributed to these

> findings did not all use the same methods for measuring rates and

> prevalence, and neither did they use the same methods to diagnose

> illnesses. So in his view while the figures are interesting, they

are

> probably not accurate.

>

> Dr Hirtz and colleagues left out many other conditions that could

have

> counted as being equally burdensome. For instance mental

retardation,

> sleep disorders, chronic pain. The reason was that these conditions

> are often treated by non-neurologists and do not have as well

defined

> criteria for diagnosis.

>

> They also acknowledged that these figures do not capture the full

> extent of the burden of these disorders. For a more realistic

> assessment of the burden of these illnesses, the figures would

have to

> include estimates of the duration, intensity, degree of disability,

> frequency, impact on life expectancy, and some measure of the

> suffering they cause, as well as the wider impact on family and

> society at large.

>

> " How common are the " common " neurologic disorders? "

> D. Hirtz, MD, D. J. Thurman, MD, MPH, K. Gwinn-Hardy, MD, M.

Mohamed,

> MPH, A. R. Chaudhuri, PhD and R. Zalutsky, PhD.

> Neurology 2007;68:326-337

>

> Click here for Abstract.

>

> National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (US).

>

> Written by: Catharine Paddock

> Writer: Medical News Today

>