Neurologists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat conditions of the nervous system. These specialists diagnose neurological conditions by examining sensation, vision, hearing, speech, strength, coordination, gait, reflexes, and behavior. Common screening tests neurologists may employ are detailed history and physical examinations, blood and urine tests, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans, ultrasounds, x-rays, genetic testing, electroencephalograms (EEG), nerve conduction studies (NCS), electromyography (EMG), angiographic studies, and lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid analysis. These tests are used to help a neurologist detect as many as 600 types of brain diseases in addition to conditions such as concussion, epilepsy, migraine, stroke, trauma, brain tumors, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
A neurologist may subspecialize in a particular field of study by completing a fellowship following a residency in general neurology. Subspecialties include autonomic disorders, epilepsy, behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry, brain injury medicine, headache medicine, clinical neuromuscular pathology, clinical neurophysiology, pediatric neurology, geriatric neurology, neural repair and rehabilitation, neurocritical care, neurodevelopmental disabilities, neuroimaging, neuromuscular medicine, neuro-oncology, sleep medicine, and vascular neurology.
A pediatric neurologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurologic disorders from the neonatal period through adolescence. Some conditions overlap with those seen by adult neurologists, and others are unique to this younger population.
