Ethnic and Epidemiological Peculiarities of Movement Disorders across the World

Globalization and increased international mobility have reshaped the topography of movement disorders worldwide, with disorders once considered confined to specific ethnicities or geographic areas now being observed in unexpected contexts. This requires neurologists to be aware of specific phenotypes outside their originally described settings, select appropriate genetic testing, and interpret findings within diverse patient backgrounds.

This review examines the ethnic and geographical distribution of specific movement disorders, aiming to support clinicians in developing tailored diagnostic strategies for increasingly diverse patient populations.

We reviewed the literature for each type of movement disorder associated with specific ethnicities or geographical areas.

We examine the distribution of particular forms of dystonia, parkinsonism, ataxia, chorea, tremor and other movement disorders worldwide, providing a map of their prevalence in certain regions or ethnic groups.

The global distribution of some movement disorder phenotypes reflects a complex interplay among genetic, ethnic, geographic, and sociocultural factors. Certain disorders cluster within specific populations due to founder effects and high inbreeding coefficients, while others are more widespread, underscoring independent mutational events or extremely distant common ancestors.