The Neurologic Diagnosis

An introductory text that transitions into a moderately advanced, case-based analysis of neurologic disorders and diseases, this book emphasizes how to simplify the process of making a neurologic diagnosis.  Medical students and residents are often intimidated by a deluge of data, perception of anatomic complexity, extensive differential diagnoses, and often have no organized structure to follow.  Diagnostic methods of general medicine are not applicable.  Indeed, neurology is a unique specialty since it requires the intermediary step of an anatomic diagnosis prior to proffering a differential diagnosis.  Yet the required knowledge of neuroanatomy need not be profound for the student or resident who will not specialize in neurology or neurosurgery. 

The Neurologic Diagnosis: A Practical Bedside Approach, 2nd Edition is primarily directed to neurology and neurosurgery residents but it will be useful for medical and family practice residents who will discover that a great percentage of their patients have neurologic symptoms.  A one-month neurology rotation out of four years of medical school is not sufficient to make a cogent neurologic diagnosis. The aim of this concise, practical book -- which includes an in-depth video of how to perform a neurologic examination -- is to facilitate the process of establishing a neuroanatomic diagnosis followed by a rigorous analysis of symptoms and signs to reach a well-thought out differential diagnosis.  Focused and succinct, this book is an invaluable resource for making a lucid neurologic diagnosis. 

Jack N. Alpert, MD, Visiting Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Texas School of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA