Neurological conditions result from damage to the brain, spinal column or nerves, caused by illness or injury[footnote 16]. In 2014, there were nearly 32,000 deaths of people aged 20 years and over with a mention of a neurological condition on their death certificate. This represented 7% of all deaths in England. The specific conditions included are listed in the Methods, data and definitions section. Only half of these deaths had a neurological condition listed as the underlying cause of death, the remainder had one listed as a contributory cause of death. The number of deaths with a neurological condition as an underlying or contributory factor increased by 39% between 2001 and 2014. There is likely to have been a number of factors contributing to this increase. This includes a reduction in mortality from other leading causes (leading to population ageing) and more neurological conditions being identified in an ageing population. However, improvements in the detection and diagnosis practices and a greater awareness of neurological conditions among healthcare professionals will also have contributed. In addition to the increase in the number of deaths, the resulting death rate for any mention of a neurological condition also increased from 71.0 per 100,000 population in - 2003 to 2005, to 79.8 per 100,000 population in - 2012 to 2014), a rise of 12%.