WhatsAppExpert Diagnosis and Treatment for the Brain, Spinal Cord and Nervous System
The Neurology Department is responsible for the diagnosis and medical treatment of diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscles. Specialised assessment is provided across a wide spectrum, from headache to stroke and from epilepsy to neurodegenerative disease. The Academic Hospital Neurology Department supports its team of neurologists with blood and urine tests, advanced imaging and electrophysiological diagnostic facilities.
Contents
What Is Neurology?
Neurology is the medical specialty that studies diseases of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), the peripheral nervous system and the neuromuscular junction. The neurologist takes responsibility for drug treatment and clinical management, while conditions requiring surgery are referred to the neurosurgery department. The diagnostic process combines detailed history taking, physical neurological examination, blood and urine tests, imaging and electrophysiology.
Which Diseases and Conditions Are Treated?
- Ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke; transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- Epilepsy and recurrent seizure disorders
- Migraine and other headache syndromes (cluster headache, tension type)
- Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders (tremor, dystonia)
- Alzheimer's disease and dementia syndromes
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuroimmunological diseases
- Peripheral neuropathy (diabetic, alcoholic, hereditary)
- Myasthenia gravis and neuromuscular junction disorders
- Motor neuron diseases (ALS, spinal muscular atrophy)
- Dizziness and vestibular disorders
- Sleep disorders (narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome)
- Brain abscess, meningitis, encephalitis: infectious neurology
- Pseudotumour cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension)
When Should You Consult a Neurologist?
- A severe headache of sudden onset that lasts a long time ("the worst headache of your life")
- Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face, arm or leg
- Difficulty speaking or impaired comprehension
- Sudden and prolonged loss of vision or double vision
- Loss of balance, difficulty walking
- First-time or recurrent fainting, loss of consciousness or convulsive attacks
- Progressive forgetfulness and change in behaviour
- Numbness, burning, tingling or weakness in the hands or feet
Emergency: Sudden speech disturbance, weakness of the face, arm or leg, or sudden loss of vision may be a sign of stroke. In this situation you must go to the emergency department without losing time.
Diagnostic Methods
- Taking the history of the illness (anamnesis)
- Enquiry into other medical conditions
- Neurological examination: The systematic assessment of consciousness, coordination, reflexes and sensory and motor function; it is the foundation of the diagnostic process.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): Shows the structure of the brain and spinal cord at high resolution; it is the method of choice in diagnosing stroke, MS plaques, tumours and degenerative diseases.
- CT (computed tomography): Used to assess acute haemorrhage and head trauma rapidly.
- EEG (electroencephalography): Records the electrical activity of the brain; it is essential in diagnosing epilepsy and determining the seizure type.
- EMG and nerve conduction study: Assesses diseases of the peripheral nerves and muscles; used for neuropathy, myopathy and neuromuscular junction disorders.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis: Markers of infection, MS and encephalitis are investigated in the sample obtained by lumbar puncture.
- Neuropsychometric tests: The objective assessment of memory, attention, executive function and language skills; used in staging dementia.
- Carotid and transcranial Doppler ultrasound: Determines stroke risk by assessing the neck vessels and cerebral blood flow.
Treatment Approaches
Treatment is planned according to the patient's definitive diagnosis and the stage of the disease:
| Treatment area | Scope and application |
|---|---|
| In patients with ischaemic stroke, intravenous tPA (thrombolytic therapy) may be given within the first 4.5 hours; thrombectomy is coordinated with neuroradiology. Antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy is started for secondary prevention. | |
| An appropriate antiepileptic drug (levetiracetam, valproate, lamotrigine and similar) is selected according to the seizure type; drug-resistant cases are referred for surgical assessment. | |
| Levodopa, dopamine agonists and MAO-B inhibitors; in advanced cases deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is considered. | |
| Triptans, CGRP antagonists (erenumab, galcanezumab), beta blockers and anticonvulsants are chosen according to the severity of the disease. | |
| Treatment directed at the underlying cause (glycaemic control, vitamin replacement) together with symptomatic treatment (gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine). | |
| Cholinesterase inhibitors (pyridostigmine), immunosuppressive therapy (azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil), and IVIG or plasmapheresis for severe attacks. |
Working in an integrated way with the Academic Hospital Neurophysiology Laboratory and Radiology Department, our team of neurologists manages the whole pathway from diagnosis to treatment.
The Academic Hospital Neurology Department provides assessment for headache, stroke, epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
Book an AppointmentNeurology at Academic Hospital
At the Academic Hospital Neurology Department, outpatient assessment, electrophysiological investigations and inpatient follow-up are all carried out under one roof. We work routinely with the following departments:
- Neurosurgery: referral of brain and spinal cord cases requiring surgery
- Stroke and Preventive Treatments: acute stroke management and the secondary prevention programme
- Migraine Treatment: migraine diagnosis and planning of preventive treatment
- Dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Aging: advanced assessment of memory and movement disorders
- Muscle and Nerve Diseases: assessment of neuropathy and myopathy with EMG and nerve conduction studies
- Radiology: brain and spinal cord MRI, CT and Doppler ultrasound examinations
- Treatment of Sleep Disorders: joint follow-up of narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome
Frequently Asked Questions
References
The general information given on this page about neurological diseases, diagnostic methods and treatment approaches is supported by the reliable health sources listed below.
- American Academy of Neurology, "AAN Guidelines and Practice Advisories", aan.com
- European Academy of Neurology, "EAN Guidelines", ean.be
- World Health Organization, "Brain Health", who.int
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), "All Neurological Disorders", ninds.nih.gov
The information on this page is for informational purposes only; it does not replace medical examination, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a healthcare institution regarding your complaints.
