Overview

Neurology is the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system: the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It deals with the body’s electrical wiring and its central processor.

Core Idea

The core idea is localization. Because different parts of the brain control different functions, a neurologist can often pinpoint exactly where a lesion is just by observing what the patient can’t do (e.g., can’t speak = left frontal lobe).

Formal Definition

The medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Intuition

The brain is the seat of the self. Neurology is where biology meets consciousness. It deals with movement, sensation, thought, memory, and emotion.

Examples

  • Stroke: A blockage or bleed in the brain’s blood supply, causing rapid loss of function.
  • Alzheimer’s Disease: A neurodegenerative disease causing memory loss and cognitive decline.
  • Epilepsy: A disorder characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the brain (seizures).

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: We only use 10% of our brains.
    • Correction: Myth. We use all of our brain, just not all at once.
  • Misconception: Brain damage is always permanent.
    • Correction: Neuroplasticity allows the brain to rewire itself and recover function, especially after injury.
  • Neuroscience: The scientific study of the nervous system (broader than just medicine).
  • Psychiatry: Focuses on mental disorders and behavior, often with a chemical/psychological focus, while neurology focuses on structural/physical disease.
  • Neuron: The fundamental unit of the brain and nervous system.

Applications

  • Rehabilitation: Helping stroke victims relearn to walk and talk.
  • Pain Management: Treating chronic pain conditions.

Criticism and Limitations

  • “Diagnose and Adios”: Historically, neurology was good at naming diseases but bad at curing them. This is changing with new treatments for stroke and MS, but neurodegenerative diseases remain largely incurable.

Further Reading

  • The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
  • Phantoms in the Brain by V.S. Ramachandran