Neurologic Investigations
2 Neurologic Investigations CEREBROSPINAL FLUID ANALYSIS Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathes the internal and external surface of the brain and spinal cord. It is produced by the choroid plexus…
Head Trauma
17 Head Trauma EPIDEMIOLOGY Estimates of the annual number of head injuries in the United States range from 500,000 to 1.5 million, with the large majority being mild…
The Approach to Coma and Altered Consciousness
PART II COMMON NEUROLOGIC SYMPTOMS 3 The Approach to Coma and Altered Consciousness The neurologic evaluation and management of a patient with coma or altered consciousness can be intimidating for…
The Neurologic Examination
PART I BASICS OF NEUROLOGY 1 The Neurologic Examination The care of patients in all specialties has been enhanced by the use of an increasingly sophisticated array of biomarkers, genetic…
Urinary and Sexual Dysfunction
9 Urinary and Sexual Dysfunction The complex neural mechanisms involved in bladder regulation make this process sensitive to a wide variety of neurologic diseases affecting the central and…
Dizziness, Vertigo, and Syncope
7 Dizziness, Vertigo, and Syncope The word dizziness is used by patients and sometimes clinicians to describe many different symptoms ranging from room spinning and light-headedness to disorientation,…
Sleep Disorders
13 Sleep Disorders PHYSIOLOGY OF SLEEP Sleep is a process necessary for life and is considered essential for restoration of energy, consolidation of memory and learning, and maintenance…
The Sensory System
6 The Sensory System The sensory system is that part of the nervous system responsible for processing sensory information, including the somatosensory and special senses: smell, vision, taste,…
Ataxia and Gait Disorders
8 Ataxia and Gait Disorders The staggering steps of a young child learning to walk are a classic example of ataxia, a condition in which the control of…
