SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A new study of movement disorders published in the International Journal of Public Health was led by Santa Barbara City College's Psychology Department Chair.
Dr. Leida Tolentino directed the international team of researchers looking into public health implications of movement disorders in the island nation of Cabo Verde of the coast of Western Africa.
"My father had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative movement disorder," explained Dr. Tolentino. "Before he passed, he documented his journey in a diary-style book and expressed the hope that his story might inspire a project promoting literacy, advocacy, and research on movement disorders in Cabo Verde. This marked the start of the Fundação Doenças do Movimento em Cabo Verde, a foundation dedicated to conducting research, raising awareness, and advocating for people diagnosed with movement disorders in Cabo Verde."
Cover of Victory is Today: My Relationship with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy by André Corsino Tolentino"I initially designed the study with co-author, Mathematician and Brown University Professor, Dr. Filipe Monteiro, and obtained approval from the relevant regulatory authorities in 2022," the head of Santa Barbara City College's Psychology Department explained. "Between July and December 2024...our team collected data at local health institutions as well as through an online survey and personal interviews with patients. These findings were later compiled into the scientific article, which we submitted for peer-reviewed publication in the International Journal of Public Health in May 2025. On March 2, 2026, the article was officially published, marking the culmination of a journey that began with my father’s wish and evolved into a collaborative effort to advance research and advocacy for movement disorders in Cabo Verde."
Movement disorders are a group of nervous system conditions that impact a person's movement, often causing abnormal movements, and symptoms can be voluntary or involuntary.
Common movement disorders include restless leg syndrome and Parkinson's disease.
"Neurological disorders have emerged as the leading cause of disability worldwide, imposing an increasing burden on individuals, families, and health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries," opened the study published in the International Journal of Public Health. "Globally, PD [Parkinson's disease] is the fastest-growing neurological disorder, with estimates indicating a doubling of cases from 6.9 million in 2015 to 14.2 million by 2040. This trend is largely driven by demographic transitions, particularly the aging of populations, combined with environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, and improved survival from other causes."
Cabo Verde served as an excellent example of the impact of movement disorder treatment in a country undergoing a population shift.
The archipelago has a rapidly aging population and despite boasting one of the highest physician densities in sub-Saharan Africa, specialized services for neurological conditions are still highly centralized as is access to medical treatments noted the study.
"The present study aimed to address these critical gaps by conducting the first multi-site, country-level epidemiological survey of MDs [movement disorders] in Cabo Verde, encompassing major public hospitals, regional health delegations, and private clinics across several islands," shared the study. "By generating this baseline evidence, the study seeks to support national public health strategies aimed at integrating neurological disorders into broader NCD [non-communicable diseases] and aging policies, improving health system responses, and informing advocacy efforts toward more equitable and inclusive care for chronic neurological conditions in LMIC [low- and medium-income countries] settings."
The study followed 110 people with movement disorders in the islands of Cabo Verde, finding that 70 percent of patients faced moderate (51%) to severe (19%) issues accessing treatments for their conditions.
Almost 80 percent of the people involved in the study had Parkinson's disease and 90 percent were under the care of a neurologist noted the study.
"The data also highlighted the disproportionate burden of MDs among older adults and men," shared the study. "These findings carry significant public health implications, underscoring the growing burden of MDs in the context of demographic aging and fragile health system capacities in LMICs. The study also reveals systemic barriers and gaps in care, which align with broader regional challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, where neurological conditions remain largely under-recognized within national health agendas, despite their increasing contribution to disability and health system costs."
The study also asked participants to share how that their movement disorder impacted their quality of life. The results are shown in the graph below.
"Temporal analysis revealed that while the age-standardized incidence of movement disorders in Cabo Verde has remained relatively stable over the last 3 years, the absolute number of diagnosed cases has increased," noted the study. "This divergence between crude and standardized rates likely reflects demographic aging and improved survival, rather than a genuine increase in underlying risk. Given the country’s expanding elderly population, now exceeding 7% of total inhabitants, these findings suggest that demographic and health system transitions are shaping the observed prevalence."
Cabo Verde and this study of its population living with movement disorders provided key steps it and other countries can take to improve healthcare outcomes as their populations age.
"The findings highlight growing demographic vulnerability, profound access barriers, and inequities in care delivery," concluded the study. "Although current prevalence remains lower than in many parts of Africa and globally, incidence rates are rising, especially among men. Despite relatively strong health infrastructure compared to other African nations, Cabo Verde's services for MDs remain centralized, fragmented, and under-resourced, reflecting systemic weaknesses common to LMIC contexts. Policies should prioritize decentralizing neurological services, improving access to essential medications and therapies, and supporting multidisciplinary interventions to enhance the quality of life for individuals living with MDs."
"My father wished that this potential personal tragedy could be turned into a societal benefit for Cabo Verde," Dr. Tolentino shared. "The main driving force behind the project is its potential to be useful."
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