Different Types of Neurological Disorders

The Most Common Types of Neurological Disorder 

According to research by the University of California’s Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, there are more than 600 neurological disorders. The World Health Organization estimates that hundreds of millions people are affected by different neurological disorders around the world.

A few different examples of types of neurological disorders are:

• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer’s Disease, and other types of dementia
• Migraines
• Strokes
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Cerebral Palsy and more

The World Health Organization report, ‘Neurological disorders: Public health challenges’, estimates that around 50 million suffer from epilepsy and 24 million from Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, with an estimated 7.7 million new cases being diagnosed on annual basis. It’s estimated that Alzheimer’s disease accounts for around 60 to 70 percent of dementia cases worldwide.

The World Health Organization estimates that one in ten people throughout the world lives with migraines of varying severity, and that an estimated six million people die as a result of a stroke or from complications resulting from their stroke.

Classifying Neurological Disorders

There are four types of neurological disorder:

Sudden Onset Conditions: These types of disorders occur as the result of an injury, usually to the brain or the spinal cord.

Intermittent and / or Unpredictable Conditions: This term covers conditions such as epilepsy and the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Progressive Conditions: This is used to describe conditions that worsen over time, such as motor neuron disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Stable Neurological Conditions: Cerebral palsy is the most common stable neurological condition.

Common Symptoms of Neurological Disorders

Physical Symptoms

Some of the most common physical symptoms of neurological disorders include:

• Lack of strength / muscle weakness
• Partial or complete loss of sensation in limbs
• Seizures
• Difficulty reading and writing
• Poor cognitive abilities / impaired memory
• Mild to moderate pain without explanation
• Lack of awareness

Emotional Symptoms

Neurological disorders don’t just impact people physically, they can also have noticeable effects on the person’s emotional well-being. People with a neurological disorder may be prone to mood swings or sudden outbursts. There’s also an increased likelihood of depression and delusions.

It’s important to acknowledge that these symptoms could be an indicator that an individual is suffering from a neurological disorder. While it may seem more likely to be a standalone issue, there’s still a high probability that it may be the result of a neurological disorder.