A Dictionary Of Neurological Signs

Neurology has always been a discipline in which careful physical examination is paramount. The rich vocabulary of neurology replete with eponyms attests to this historically. The decline in the importance of the examination has long been predicted with the advent of more detailed neuroimaging. However, neuroimaging has often provided a surfeit of information from which salient features have to be identified, dependent upon the neurological examination. A dictionary of neurological signs has a secure future. A dictionary should be informative but unless it is unwieldy, it cannot be comprehensive, nor is that claimed here. Andrew Larner has decided sensibly to include key features of the history as well as the examination. There is no doubt that some features of the history can strike one with the force of a physical sign. There are entries for “palinopsia” and “environmental tilt” both of which can only be elicited from the history and yet which have considerable significance. There is also an entry for the “head turning sign” observed during the history taking itself as well as the majority of entries relating to details of the physical examination. This book is directed to students and will be valuable to medical students, trainee neurologists, and professions allied to medicine. Neurologists often speak in shorthand and so entries such as “absence” and “freezing” are sensible and helpful.

The first two editions of the Dictionary of Neurological Signs were very well-received by readers and reviewers alike. Like those editions, this Third Edition, updated and expanded, can be almost as well described in terms of what the book is not, along with details about what it is. The Dictionary is not a handbook for treatment of neurological disorders. While many entries provide the latest treatment options, up-to-the-minute therapies are not discussed in bedside level detail. The Dictionary is not a board review book because it is not in Q&A format but could easily serve in that capacity since each entry is a fairly complete snapshot of a specific disorder or disease. The Dictionary is an alphabetical listing of commonly presenting neurological signs designed to guide the physician toward the correct clinical diagnosis. The Dictionary is focused, problem-based, concise and practical. The structured entries in this practical, clinical resource provide a thumbnail of a wide range of neurological signs. Each entry includes: • A definition of the sign • A brief account of the clinical technique required to elicit the sign • A description of the other signs which may accompany the index sign • An explanation of pathyophysiological and/or pharmacological background • Differential diagnosis • Brief treatment details Where known, these entries also include the neuroanatomical basis of the sign. The Dictionary of Neurological Signs, Third Edition, is an indispensable reference for all students, trainees, and clinicians who care for patients with neurological disorders.

"Although it has been mooted whether the dramatic technological advances in neurological practice, (i.e., neuroimaging) might render the physical exam redundant, others maintain the central importance of neurological examination in patient management. A Dictionary of Neurological Signs seeks to elucidate the interpretation of neurological signs ("neurosemiology"): their anatomical, physiological, and pathological significance." (from the Preface) The structured entries in this practical, clinical resource provide a snapshot of a wide range of neurological signs. Each entry includes: definition of the sign; brief account of the clinical technique required to elicit the sign; description of the other signs which may accompany the index sign. Where known, the entries also include neuroanatomical basis of the sign; explanation of pathyophysiological and/or pharmacological background; neuropathological basis; differential diagnosis; and brief treatment details. The Dictionary provides practical, concise answers to complex clinical questions.

The Dictionary of Neuropsychology is a cross-referenced, alphabetical listing of terms, common medical abbreviations, diseases, symptoms, syndromes, brain structures and locations, and test instruments used in neuropsychology and their neuropsychological interpretations. Neuropsychological concepts and tests are defined and described as to applications in evaluation and treatment. Common medical terms and abbreviations are defined to assist hospital therapists. Most topics are referenced to their original sources to ease the job of researchers. This book is a compendium of current findings and knowledge from the burgeoning field of neuropsychology. It will probably be most useful to practicing neuropsychologists, but professionals in other disciplines such as neurology, psychiatry, rehabilitation therapy, and other related fields will find quick referencing to specific topics quite helpful. To keep pace with the tremendous advances in the field, the book has been updated for this revised second printing.

"There is an apocryphal story of an eminent neurology professor who was asked to provide a differential diagnosis. He allegedly quipped: "I can't give you a differential diagnosis. If you wish I will give you a list of wrong diagnoses followed by the right diagnosis." Sadly, this sort of arrogance pervaded our field, particularly in the era before there were accurate diagnostic methods and effective treatments of neurological diseases. Fortunately, this sort of pomposity is now relegated to the past and remains only as an antique reminder of a type of hubris that precluded discovery and progress in diseases of the nervous system"--

Drawn from the extensive database of Guide to Reference, this up-to-date resource provides an annotated list of print and electronic biomedical and health-related reference sources, including internet resources and digital image collections.

This concise, pragmatic, pocket-sized book addresses neurological contributions to the diagnosis and management of dementia through a longitudinal examination of the work undertaken in a dedicated neurological dementia clinic. It covers the use of cognitive and non-cognitive screening instruments and their diagnostic utility and the use of other diagnostic investigations: neuroimaging, neurophysiology and neuropathology. The diagnostic mix is discussed in terms of both neuropsychological syndromes and neurological diagnoses, as is the use of conventional treatments for dementia and the impact of national directives (e.g. NICE, National Dementia Strategy) on day-to-day clinical practice. Dementia in Clinical Practice: A Neurological Perspective, Second Edition is an illustrated, practical resource for medical professionals involved in the assessment and management of dementia patients. It is of particular benefit to neurologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians, primary care practitioners and those working in the fields of neuropsychology, psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and nursing.

The Second Edition of A-Z of Neurological Practice builds on the previous edition with revised and updated information in a high density but easily accessible format to provide a quick and ready reference for busy clinicians of all degrees of experience. Entries for specific neurological conditions are uniformly structured indicating: Pathophysiology; Clinical Features; Investigations and Diagnosis; Differential Diagnosis; Treatment and Prognosis. Key references are cited throughout and all entries are cross referenced. A-Z of Neurological Practice, Second Edition is a practical, authoritative guide that will become an invaluable resource for neurologists in clinical practice, neurology trainees and all those involved with the treatment of neurological disorders.