A brain network disorders study analyzes the epidemiology of neurological disorders in China

Neurological disorders represent a mounting public health crisis in China, exacerbated by rapid population ageing. Cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative conditions have become leading causes of mortality and disability across urban and rural populations, imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden. Accurate and comprehensive documentation of the epidemiology of these disorders can aid in developing effective prevention and control strategies and assist in healthcare resource allocation. However, epidemiological data have remained fragmented and unsystematically integrated, impeding optimal healthcare planning and prevention efforts.

This gap was addressed through the China Neurological Disorders Report 2024, compiled and released by the National Center for Neurological Disorders, China. The report analyzed and reviewed over 15,000 Chinese and international publications to understand the trends of various neurological disorders that are prevalent in the Chinese population. The report focused on ten major neurological disorders, which includes cerebrovascular disease, dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, tumors in the central nervous system (CNS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), myasthenia gravis (MG), headache and pain syndromes, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Based on the key findings of this report, a team of researchers, led by Dr. Jing Yang and Dr. Guoguang Zhao from National Center for Neurological Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, China, outlines the trends of disease burden, primary risk factors, population distribution disparities, prevalence, and incidence of these disorders. Their findings were made available online on December 15, 2025, and published in Volume 1, Issue 4, of the journal Brain Network Disorders on December 26, 2025.

“Our aim was to address the existing gaps arising from fragmented information and provide a robust scientific foundation for accurately characterizing disease epidemiology. We wanted our analytical study to provide essential guidance for improving clinical management and assist policymakers in allocating healthcare resources sensibly,” mentioned Dr. Yang.

The researchers identified cerebrovascular disease as the third leading cause of death among adults in China. In case of ischemic stroke cerebrovascular disorders compromise cerebral blood flow, leading to the onset of neurological deficits. This accounts for approximately 72.8 % of stroke cases in China and men are at a higher risk. The geographical distribution also exhibits a distinct pattern, with higher risk among the population residing in the northern part of the country than those in the south, with particularly. An elevated rate is also seen in central regions of the country.

The report also highlighted AD and related dementias to be extremely prevalent in China, affecting around 16.99 million of the Chinese population. This neurological disorder has a higher prevalence and mortality in females. Occurrence of Parkinson's disease is also rapidly increasing in the country, with an estimated 3.62 million current patients. The researchers outlined the unique demographic patterns of CNS tumors, TBI, MS, and MG in this article The mean age at onset for ALS, a progressive neurological disorder, was also less among patients in China than those reported for populations in Europe and Japan.

The findings of this study highlight marked heterogeneity in neurological disorders across populations and regions. Many of these diseases are closely linked to ageing and sex-related disparities. By leveraging these findings, clinicians and policymakers can gain actionable insights into risk profiles, enabling the development of preventive measures and more effective healthcare allocation tailored to specific age groups or sexes.

“Our study identified cerebrovascular disease as one of the most common conditions, while the occurrence of other neurodegenerative diseases also keep increasing with the population ageing. Epilepsy, CNS tumors, and various other disorders also show unique demographic and geographic trends.” Dr. Zhao noted while discussing the key findings of the study.

Analysis of epidemiological resources is vital for safeguarding public health, informing evidence-based policies, identifying disease causes and risk factors, and evaluating interventions. This article may contribute to the refinement ofmanagement and prevention of neurological conditions in China, which could help reduce the burden of disease and improve the country's neurological health.

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Reference
DOI: 10.1016/j.bnd.2025.12.002