Neurological Disease Burden Quiz: 8 Weighty Questions

The correct answer is A. First in causing DALYs, second in causing deaths. The combined neurological disorders ranked just ahead of cardiovascular diseases (excluding stroke) in causing global DALYs and just behind cardiovascular diseases in causing deaths. They accounted for 276 million DALYs (11.6% of global DALYs for all diseases) and were the underlying cause in 9 million deaths (16.5% of global deaths).

The correct answer is B. Increased by 39% and 15%, respectively. The numbers were driven up by population increase and aging, even though the global population is exposed to a lower risk of death from these causes. Decreases in rates and absolute numbers of deaths and DALYs were seen only in infectious neurological disorders (meningitis, encephalitis, and tetanus).

The correct answer is A. True. Development of new and better strategies to treat or prevent the major neurological disorders and implementation of proven effective prevention strategies for stroke and infectious neurological disorders are recommended.

The correct answer is C. Stroke. Stroke contributed to 42.2% of global neurological DALYs. Migraine contributed to 16.3%, Alzheimer disease and other dementias to 10.4%, and meningitis to 7.9%. Stroke was the leading neurological disorder in age-standardized DALY rates in 19 of 21 GBD world regions.

The correct answer is A. Significantly higher in males. The burden was significantly higher in males than in females for traumatic brain injury, Parkinson disease, tetanus, motor neuron diseases, and stroke. Migraine, multiple sclerosis, and tension-type headache were more common and caused more burden in females.

The correct answer is D. Infectious neurological conditions. Epilepsy DALYs were highest in persons aged 5 to 29 years. Migraine and tension-type headache were large contributors in young and middle-aged adults. Stroke was the dominant cause of neurological burden at 60 to 84 years. Alzheimer disease and other dementias were the dominant cause of neurological burden in adults aged 90 years and older.

The correct answer is B. Infectious causes, stroke, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, and brain and other CNS cancers. Headaches, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury were significant contributors to years lived with disability. Other contributors were epilepsy, stroke, and Alzheimer disease and other dementias.