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Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue, such as muscle. In Vertebrates the central nervous system ( CNS) is the part of the Nervous system which is enclosed in the Meninges. The peripheral nervous system ( PNS) resides or extends outside the Central nervous system (CNS which consists of the Brain and Spinal cord. &trade The autonomic nervous system ( ANS) (or visceral nervous system) is the part of the Peripheral nervous system that acts as a Control [1] Physicians who specialize in neurology are called neurologists, and are trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat, neurological disorders. A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health Pediatric neurologists treat neurological disease in children. Neurologists may also be involved in clinical research, clinical trials, as well as basic research and translational research. Clinical research is a branch of Medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of Medications devices, diagnostic products In health care clinical trials are conducted to allow safety and Efficacy data to be collected for new drugs or devices Basic Research is an Herbal supplement and cosmetics manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that distributes products through a large number of Translational Medicine is the emerging view of medical practice and interventional epidemiology as a natural 21st century progression from Evidence-Based Medicine In the United Kingdom, contributions to the field of neurology stem from various professions; saliently, several biomedical research scientists are choosing to specialize in the technical/laboratory aspects of one of neurology's subdisciplines.

Contents

Field of work

Neurological disorders are disorders that can affect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the peripheral nervous system, or the autonomic nervous system. In Vertebrates the central nervous system ( CNS) is the part of the Nervous system which is enclosed in the Meninges. The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain The spinal cord is a long thin tubular bundle of Nerves that is an extension of the Central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected The peripheral nervous system ( PNS) resides or extends outside the Central nervous system (CNS which consists of the Brain and Spinal cord. &trade The autonomic nervous system ( ANS) (or visceral nervous system) is the part of the Peripheral nervous system that acts as a Control

Major conditions include:






Educational requirements

A neurologist's educational background and medical training varies with the country of training. A nerve is an enclosed cable-like bundle of peripheral Axons (the long slender projections of Neurons. Muscle (from Latin musculus, diminutive of mus "mouse" is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the In Medicine, a myopathy is a neuromuscular Disease in which the Muscle fibers do not function for any one of many reasons resulting in Muscular weakness A neuromuscular junction ( NMJ) is the Synapse or junction of the Axon terminal of a Motoneuron with the motor end plate, the The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain The spinal cord is a long thin tubular bundle of Nerves that is an extension of the Central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected A nerve is an enclosed cable-like bundle of peripheral Axons (the long slender projections of Neurons. Encephalopathy /ɛnˌsɛfəˈlɒpəθi/ literally means Disease of the Brain. In Medicine, a coma (from the Greek koma, meaning deep sleep is a profound state of Unconsciousness. A communication disorder - speech and language disorders which refer to problems in communication and in related areas such as oral motor function In the United States and Canada, neurologists are physicians who have completed postgraduate training in neurology after graduation from medical school. Medical education A medical school or faculty of medicine is a Tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches Medicine

Neurologists complete a minimum of 10 years of postsecondary education and clinical training. In the majority of cases this training includes obtaining an undergraduate degree (a few medical schools will admit students with as little as two years of undergraduate education), a medical degree (4 years), and then completing a four-year residency in neurology. The four-year residency consists of one year of internal medicine training followed by three years of training in neurology.

Many neurologists also have additional subspecialty training (fellowships) after completing their residency in one area of neurology such as stroke, epilepsy, neuromuscular, sleep medicine, pain management, neuroimmunology, clinical neurophysiology, or movement disorders.

Testing examinations

During a neurological examination, the neurologist reviews the patient's health history with special attention to the current condition. The patient then takes a neurological exam. Typically, the exam tests mental status, function of the cranial nerves (including vision), strength, coordination, reflexes and sensation. Cranial nerves are Nerves that emerge directly from the Brain stem in contrast to Spinal nerves which emerge from segments of the Spinal cord. This information helps the neurologist determine if the problem exists in the nervous system and the clinical localization. Localization of the pathology is the key process by which neurologists develop their differential diagnosis. Further tests may be needed to confirm a diagnosis and ultimately guide therapy and appropriate management.

Clinical tasks

General caseload

Neurologists are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of all the above conditions. When surgical intervention is required, the neurologist may refer the patient to a neurosurgeon, an interventional neuroradiologist, or a neurointerventionalist. Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating those central, Peripheral nervous system and spinal column diseases amenable to surgical Neurointerventional Surgery (NIS/ Interventional Neuroradiology (INR is an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME accredited medical subspecialty specializing Neurointerventional Surgery (NIS/ Interventional Neuroradiology (INR is an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME accredited medical subspecialty specializing In some countries, additional legal responsibilities of a neurologist may include making a finding of brain death when it is suspected that a patient is deceased. Brain death is a legal definition of death that emerged in the 1960s as a response to the ability to resuscitate individuals and mechanically keep the heart and lungs working A patient is any person who receives medical attention care or treatment. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Neurologists frequently care for people with hereditary (genetic) diseases when the major manifestations are neurological, as is frequently the case. History See also History of genetics The existence of genes was first suggested by Gregor Mendel (1822-1884 who in the 1860s studied inheritance Lumbar punctures are frequently performed by neurologists. In Medicine, a lumbar puncture (colloquially known as a spinal tap) is a Diagnostic and at times therapeutic procedure that is performed in order Some neurologists may develop an interest in particular subfields, such as dementia, movement disorders, headaches, epilepsy, sleep disorders, chronic pain management, multiple sclerosis or neuromuscular diseases. A headache ( cephalalgia in medical terminology is a condition of pain in the Head; sometimes Neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted Epilepsy is a common chronic Neurological disorder that is characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Multiple sclerosis (abbreviated MS also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an autoimmune condition in which the

Overlapping areas

There is some overlap with other specialties, varying from country to country and even within a local geographic area. Acute head trauma is most often treated by neurosurgeons, whereas sequela of head trauma may be treated by neurologists or specialists in rehabilitation medicine. Traumatic brain injury. THIS PAGE IS FOR INFORMATION ON HEAD INJURY (NOT SPECIFICALLY THE BRAIN--> Head injury is Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating those central, Peripheral nervous system and spinal column diseases amenable to surgical A sequela, (sɨˈkwiːlə plural sequelæ) is a Pathological condition resulting from a Disease, Injury, or other trauma. Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R or physiatry, is a branch of Medicine dealing with functional restoration of a person affected by physical disability Although stroke cases have been traditionally managed by internal medicine or hospitalists, the emergence of vascular neurology and endovascular neurosurgery as disciplines has created a demand for stroke specialists. The establishment of JCAHO stroke centers has increased the role of neurologists in stroke care in many primary as well as tertiary hospitals. The Joint Commission is a private sector United States -based non-profit organization. Some cases of nervous system infectious diseases are treated by infectious disease specialists. An infectious disease is a clinically evident Disease resulting from the presence of Pathogenic microbial agents including Pathogenic viruses Pathogenic Most cases of headache are diagnosed and treated primarily by general practitioners, at least the less severe cases. A headache ( cephalalgia in medical terminology is a condition of pain in the Head; sometimes Neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted A general practitioner, or GP is a medical practitioner who provides Primary care and specializes in Family medicine. Similarly, most cases of sciatica and other mechanical radiculopathies are treated by general practitioners, though they may be referred to neurologists or a surgeon (neurosurgeons or orthopedic surgeons). Sciatica is a set of symptoms including Pain that may be caused by general compression and/or irritation of one of five nerve roots that give rise to the Sciatic nerve Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics (also spelled orthopaedics) is the branch of Surgery concerned with injuries to or conditions involving the Sleep disorders are also treated by pulmonologists. A sleep disorder (somnipathy is a medical disorder of the Sleep patterns of a person or animal In Medicine, pulmonology (aka pneumology) is the specialty that deals with Diseases of the Lungs and the Respiratory tract. Cerebral palsy is initially treated by pediatricians, but care may be transferred to an adult neurologist after the patient reaches a certain age. Cerebral palsy ( CP) is an Umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non- contagious conditions that cause Physical disability Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of Medicine that deals with the medical care of Infants Children and Adolescents

Clinical neuropsychologists are often called upon to evaluate brain-behavior relationships for the purpose of assisting with differential diagnosis, planning rehabilitation strategies, documenting cognitive strengths and weaknesses, and measuring change over time (e. Clinical neuropsychology is a sub-specialty of clinical Psychology that specialises in the diagnostic assessment and treatment of patients with Brain injury or Neuropsychological assessment was traditionally carried out to assess the extent of impairment to a particular skill and to attempt to locate an area of the brain which may have been damaged The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain For the Björk song see Human Behaviour Human behavior is the collection of Behaviors exhibited by Human beings and influenced by A differential diagnosis (sometimes abbreviated DDx, ddx Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R or physiatry, is a branch of Medicine dealing with functional restoration of a person affected by physical disability Cognition is a concept used in different ways by different disciplines but is generally accepted to mean the process of awareness or thought g. , for identifying abnormal aging or tracking the progression of a dementia). Ageing or aging (American English is the accumulation of changes in an organism Dementia (from Latin de- "apart away" + Mens ( genitive mentis) "mind" is the progressive decline

Relationship to clinical neurophysiology

In some countries, e. g. USA and Germany, neurologists may specialize in clinical neurophysiology, the field responsible for EEG, nerve conduction studies, EMG and evoked potentials. Clinical neurophysiology is a medical speciality that studies the central and peripheral nervous systems through the recording of bioelectrical activity whether spontaneous A nerve conduction study (NCS is a test commonly used to evaluate the function especially the ability of Electrical conduction, of the motor and Sensory nerves Electromyography (EMG is a technique for evaluating and recording the activation signal of muscles An evoked potential (or "evoked response" is an electrical potential recorded from a Human or Animal following presentation of a stimulus as distinct from In other countries, this is an autonomous specialty (e. g. United Kingdom, Sweden).

Overlap with psychiatry

Further information: Psychoneuroimmunology and Neuropsychiatry

Although many mental illnesses are believed to be neurological disorders affecting the central nervous system, traditionally they are classified separately, and treated by psychiatrists. Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI is the study of the interaction between psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the human body Neuropsychiatry is the branch of Medicine dealing with Mental disorders attributable to diseases of the Nervous system. Mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as In Vertebrates the central nervous system ( CNS) is the part of the Nervous system which is enclosed in the Meninges. A psychiatrist (also archaically called an alienist) is a Physician who specializes in Psychiatry and is certified in treating Mental disorders In a 2002 review article in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Professor Joseph B. The American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP is the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association (APA and the most widely read and cited Psychiatric Martin, Dean of Harvard Medical School and a neurologist by training, wrote that 'the separation of the two categories is arbitrary, often influenced by beliefs rather than proven scientific observations. Harvard Medical School ( HMS) is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University and currently the #1 medical school in America as ranked by U And the fact that the brain and mind are one makes the separation artificial anyway. ' (Martin JB. The integration of neurology, psychiatry and neuroscience in the 21st century. Am J Psychiatry 2002; 159:695-704)

There are strong indications that neuro-chemical mechanisms play an important role in the development of, for instance, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia ( from the Greek roots schizein (σχίζειν "to split" and phrēn As well, 'neurological' diseases often have 'psychiatric' manifestations, such as post-stroke depression, depression and dementia associated with Parkinson's disease, mood and cognitive dysfunctions in Alzheimer's disease, to name a few. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression Dementia (from Latin de- "apart away" + Mens ( genitive mentis) "mind" is the progressive decline Parkinson's disease (also known as Parkinson disease or PD) is a degenerative disorder of the Central nervous system that often impairs the sufferer's Alzheimer's disease ( AD) also called Alzheimer disease or simply Alzheimer's, is the most common form of Dementia. Hence, there is no sharp distinction between neurology and psychiatry on a biological basis – this distinction has mainly practical reasons and strong historical roots (such as the dominance of Freud's psychoanalytic theory in psychiatric thinking in the first three quarters of the 20th century – which has since then been largely replaced by the focus on neurosciences – aided by the tremendous advances in genetics and neuroimaging recently. Psychiatry is a medical specialty which exists to study, prevent, and treat Mental disorders in Humans Psychiatric Sigmund Freud (ˈziːkmʊnt ˈfʁɔʏt born Sigismund Shlomo Freud (May 6 1856 &ndash September 23 1939 was an Austrian Psychiatrist who founded Psychoanalysis is a body of ideas developed by Austrian physician Sigmund Freud and his followers which is devoted to the study of human psychological functioning and behavior Neuroscience is a field devoted to the scientific study of the nervous system Genetics (from Ancient Greek grc-Latn genetikos, “genitive” and that from grc-Latn genesis, “origin” a discipline of Biology, is Neuroimaging includes the use of various techniques to either directly or indirectly image the structure, function/ Pharmacology of the Brain )

In Germany, a compulsory year of Psychiatry must be done to complete a residency of Neurology.

References

  1. ^ http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/downloads/RRC_progReq/180neurology07012007.pdf

External links


Dictionary

neurology

-noun

  1. The branch of medicine that deals with the disorders of nervous system.
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