Brain Disease

How Big a Problem are Brain Diseases and Injuries?

Despite enormous advances in brain research, brain and central nervous system disorders remain the nation's leading cause of disability, and account for more hospitalizations and prolonged care than almost all other diseases combined.

Brain-related disorders cost the United States more than 600 billion dollars a year.

Disease Total Cases $Cost/Year

Addiction 30,000,000 160 billion

Alzheimer's Disease 4,000,000 60 billion

Blindness/Vision loss 13,000,000 38 billion

Brain injury 2,000,000 48 billion

Deafness/Hearing loss 28,000,000 56 billion

Depression/Manic depression 17,500,000 30 billion

Developmental disorders 15,000,000 30 billion

Epilepsy 2,500,000 3 billion

Huntington's Disease 25,000 0.25 billion

Multiple sclerosis 300,000 5 billion

Pain 90,000,000 100 billion

Parkinson's Disease 500,000 6 billion

Schizophrenia 2,000,000 30 billion

Spinal cord injury 250,000 10 billion

Stroke ("Brain Attack") 3,000,000 25 billion

We are entering a new era in research on nervous system diseases and injuries. There is much cause for optimism -- especially at MBI-UF. However, our research laboratory and clinical studies take years to complete and they require private donor and/or corporate partnership support.