Neurosciences
Neurosciences refers to the branch of medicine that focuses on the nervous system. The nervous system is made of two parts:
- The central nervous system consists of your brain and spinal cord.
- The peripheral nervous system consists of all your nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including those in your arms, legs, and trunk of the body.
Together, your brain and spinal cord serve as the main "processing center" for the entire nervous system, and control all the functions of your body.
Information
A number of different medical conditions can affect the nervous system, including:
-
Blood vessel disorders in the brain, including
arteriovenous malformations
and cerebral aneurysms
Arteriovenous malformations
A cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins in the brain that usually forms before birth....
- Brain cancer
-
Degenerative diseases, including
Alzheimer disease
and Parkinson disease
Alzheimer disease
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. Alzheimer disease is one form of dementia. It affects memory, thinking, and...
- Disorders of the pituitary gland
-
Epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person has repeated seizures over time. Seizures are episodes of uncontrolled and abnormal firing of brain c...
-
Headaches, including
migraines
Migraines
A migraine is a type of headache. It may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound. In many people, a throbbi...
-
Movement disorders, such as tremors and
Parkinson disease
Parkinson disease
Parkinson disease causes certain brain cells to die. These are the cells that help control movement and coordination. The disease leads to shaking ...
-
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
- Neuro-ophthalmologic diseases, which are vision problems that result from damage to the optic nerve or its connections to the brain
- Peripheral nerve diseases (neuropathy), which affect the nerves that carry information to and from the brain and spinal cord
-
Mental disorders, such as
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that makes it hard to tell the difference between what is real and not real. It also makes it hard to think clearl...
- Spine disorders
- Infections, such as meningitis
-
Stroke
Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...
DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
Neurologists and other neuroscience specialists use special tests and imaging techniques to see how the nerves and brain are working.
In addition to blood and urine tests, tests done to diagnose nervous system diseases may include:
- Computed tomography (CT scan)
- Discography (x-ray of the spinal discs) to determine the cause of low back pain
- Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to check for infection of the spinal cord and brain
-
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or
magnetic resonance angiography
(MRA)
Magnetic resonance angiography
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is an MRI exam of the blood vessels. Unlike traditional angiography that involves placing a tube (catheter) int...
-
Electroencephalography
(EEG) to look at brain activity
Electroencephalography
An electroencephalogram is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
-
Electromyography
(EMG) to test nerve and muscle function
Electromyography
Electromyography (EMG) is a test that checks the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles.
-
Electronystagmography
(ENG) to check for abnormal eye movements, which can be a sign of a brain disorder
Electronystagmography
Electronystagmography is a test that looks at eye movements to see how well two nerves in the brain are working. These nerves are:Vestibular nerve (...
-
Evoked potentials
(or evoked response), which looks at how the brain responds to sounds, sight, and touch
Evoked potentials
Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) is a test to measure the brain wave activity that occurs in response to clicks or certain tones.
- Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
- Myelogram of the spine to diagnose nerve injury
-
Nerve conduction velocity
(NCV) test
Nerve conduction velocity
Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test to see how fast electrical signals move through a nerve.
- Neurocognitive testing (neuropsychological testing)
-
Polysomnogram
to see how the brain reacts during sleep
Polysomnogram
Polysomnography is a sleep study. This test records certain body functions as you sleep, or try to sleep. Polysomnography is used to diagnose sleep...
- Position emission tomography (PET) scan to look at brain metabolic activity
- Skin biopsy to measure if there's a problem with nerve endings
TREATMENT
Neuroradiology is a branch of neuroscience medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating nervous system problems.
Interventional neuroradiology involves inserting tiny, flexible tubes called catheters into blood vessels leading to the brain. This allows the doctor to treat blood vessel disorders that can affect the nervous system, such as stroke.
Interventional neuroradiology (or vascular therapy) treatments include:
- Balloon angioplasty and stenting of carotid or vertebral artery
-
Endovascular embolization
and coiling to treat cerebral aneurysms
Endovascular embolization
Endovascular embolization is a procedure to treat abnormal blood vessels in the brain and other parts of the body. It is an alternative to open surg...
- Intra-arterial therapy for stroke
- Radiation oncology of the brain and spine
Open or traditional neurosurgery may be needed in some cases to treat problems in the brain and surrounding structures. This is more invasive surgery that requires the surgeon to make an opening, called a craniotomy , in the skull.
Craniotomy
Brain surgery is an operation to treat problems in the brain and surrounding structures.
Microsurgery allows the surgeon to work on very small structures in the brain using a microscope and very small, precise instruments.
Stereotactic radiosurgery may be needed for certain types of nervous system disorders. This is a form of radiation therapy that focuses high-powered x-rays on a small area of the body, thereby avoiding damage to surrounding brain tissue.
Stereotactic radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a form of radiation therapy that focuses high-power energy on a small area of the body. Despite its name, radiosu...
Treatment of nervous system-related diseases or disorders may also include:
- Medications, possibly given by a drug pumps (such as those used for patients with severe muscle spasms)
- Deep brain stimulation
- Rehabilitation/physical therapy after brain injury or stroke
- Spinal surgery
WHO IS INVOLVED
The neurosciences medical team is often made up of health care providers from many different specialties. This may include:
- Neurologist: A doctor who has received extra training in the treatment of brain and nervous system disorders
- Vascular surgeon: A doctor who has received extra training in the surgical treatment of blood vessel disorders
- Neurosurgeon: A doctor who has received extra training in brain and spine surgery
- Neuropsychologist: A doctor specially trained in administering and interpreting tests of the cognitive function of the brain
- Radiologist: A doctor who received extra training in interpreting medical images and in performing different procedures using imaging technology specifically for treating brain and nervous system disorders
- Nurse practitioners (NPs)
- Physician assistants (PAs)
- Nutritionists or dietitians
- Primary care doctors
- Physical therapists, who help with mobility, strength, balance, and flexibility
- Occupational therapists, who help keep people functioning well in the home and at work
- Speech-language therapists, who help with speech, language, and understanding
This list is not all-inclusive.
References
Brazier MAB. The emergence of electrophysiology as an aid to neurology. In: Aminoff MJ, ed. Aminoff's Electrodiagnosis in Clinical Neurology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2012:chap 1.
Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK. Diagnosis of neurological disease. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 1.
Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK. Laboratory investigations in diagnosis and management of neurological disease. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 33.
Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK. Management of neurological disease. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK, eds. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 53.
Meyer PT, Rijntjes M, Hellwig S, Kloppel S, Weiller C. Functional neuroimaging. In: Daroff RB, Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SK, eds.
Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice.
7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 41.
Review Date: 1/5/2016
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.