Between the invisible and the measurable: what GBD 2023 data reveal (and conceal) about neurodevelopmental disorders in South America
Erasmo Barbante Casella · 2026
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Description
Erasmo Barbante Casella read the Global Burden of Disease 2023 numbers on child brain development disorders in a 2026 commentary. Such disorders are common and shape whole lives, yet surveillance often misses them, above all where services are unequal. The underlying study tracked trends from 1990 to 2023 across twelve South American countries, offering a rare long, comparative view.
Three patterns stood out. Autism rates rose modestly, ADHD held steady, and unexplained intellectual disability declined steadily. Casella warns these lines mostly mirror how well systems detect, classify, and record cases, not just true change. Autism's small rise, far below rich-country growth, likely reflects underdiagnosis where specialists and standard tools are scarce.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Erasmo Barbante Casella |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 6 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |