WHAT IS NEUROLOGY?
WHAT IS A NEUROLOGIST?
ABI RESOURCES team members take directives from Neurologists. Neurology is the branch of medicine or biology that deals with the anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of nerves and the nervous system. The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates body activities. A doctor who specializes in neurology is called a neurologist. The neurologist treats disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, such as:
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Central nervous system: the brain and spinal cord
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Peripheral nervous system: all other neural elements, such as eyes, ears, skin, and other "sensory receptors"
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Cerebrovascular disease, such as stroke
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Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy
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Spinal cord disorders
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Speech and language disorders
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Demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis
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Headache disorders
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Infections of the brain and peripheral nervous system
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Movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease
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Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease)
Because the nervous system is complex, a neurologist may specialize in a specific area. There are many subspecialties. Some examples of subspecialties include:
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headache medicine
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neuromuscular medicine
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neurocritical care
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neuro-oncology
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geriatric neurology
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autonomic disorders
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vascular (stroke care)
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child neurology
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intervention neuroradiology
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epilepsy
Neurologists do not perform surgery. If one of their patients requires surgery, they refer them to a neurosurgeon.
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