What is neurology?

Neurology is the medical discipline that takes care of diseases of the nervous system. The nervous system includes the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the peripheral nervous system (cranial nerves and nerves of the limbs) and the vegetative nervous system.

The functions performed by the whole of this system are: consciousness, wakefulness and sleep , intellectual functions , communication and language , behaviors , movement control , sensory perceptions, pain , regulation of internal organs. Neurology thus covers a wide range of diseaseswhose complexity requires extreme rigor in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Listening attentively to the patient and his entourage makes it possible to collect clues that will guide the clinical examination, an essential stage of diagnosis in neurology. This logical approach makes it possible to determine the appropriate additional examinations and their degree of urgency .

The last few years have been marked by great advances in the field of neuroscience . The diagnosis and management of common diseases such as stroke , Alzheimer’s disease , Parkinson’s disease , epilepsy , or recently discovered rare diseases such as neurogenetic diseases , have been profoundly transformed. There are many reasons for this: increased knowledge, precision of additional examinations such as imaging ( MRI, etc.), appearance of effective treatments ( thrombolysis in a neurovascular unit, neurostimulationdeep brain, treatments for multiple sclerosis , headaches etc.).

This wealth of neurology has led to the definition of very specific treatments ( subspecialties, high- tech care , innovations , reference centers ) according to each major group of diseases. This care approach is the result of complementarity and communication between hospital neurologists and freelancers , in connection with the care sectors (general practitioner, paramedics).

The care is based on recommendations established with health institutions . Neurology, a united and active discipline also interacts with other disciplines such as ophthalmology , ENT , physical and rehabilitation medicine , neurosurgery , neuroradiology , psychiatry , pneumology , urology . The collaborations field expands regularly as knowledge and advances in research .