NEUROLOGY

Neurology is a medical specialty that deals with the function and diseases of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), peripheral nervous system (cranial nerves and nerves of the limbs), and autonomic nervous system. This specialty covers a very broad field and deals with complex diseases including :

• Consciousness
• Sleep
• Intellectual functions
• Language
• Behavior
• Control of movements
• Sensory perceptions
• Pain

Neurologists are usually highly specialized in a specific area: cognitive disorders, sleep disorders, language disorders, migraines, epilepsy, neurovascular disorders, neuroophthalmology, neuropsychiatry...

Neurologists take care of epilepsy, progressive diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, or multiple sclerosis. In case of acute pathology (convulsive seizures, facial paralysis, loss of consciousness, stroke...), patients may be admitted to a neurological emergency department in hospitals.

The neurological diagnosis starts with careful listening to the patient and their environment about the symptoms identified and their medical history. This initial interview allows the clinical examination, an important step in the neurological diagnosis, to be oriented. This may determine complementary examinations and define their urgency :

• MRI
• CT scan
• Electroencephalogram
• Electroneuromyography
• Neuropsychological evaluations
• Lumbar puncture
• And more.