Neurology

Neurology focuses on disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system.

ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) — motor neuron degeneration, riluzole, edaravone
Alzheimer's Disease — amyloid plaques, tau tangles, cholinesterase inhibitors
Anti-LGI1 Encephalitis — autoimmune limbic encephalitis, faciobrachial dystonic seizures, LGI1 antibody, immunotherapy response
Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis — psychiatric onset, NMDA receptor antibodies, ovarian teratoma association, immunotherapy
Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) — dystrophin gene mutation, milder than Duchenne, calf hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy risk
Bell's Palsy — sudden one-sided facial weakness, the forehead test vs stroke, 72-hour steroid window, eye protection
CADASIL — hereditary NOTCH3 small vessel disease, EGF-like domain cysteine mutations, anterior temporal pole + external capsule white matter lesions, early-onset subcortical strokes + migraine with aura + vascular dementia, genetic testing + family counseling
Cerebellar Ataxia — gait unsteadiness, coordination loss, hereditary vs acquired causes, spinocerebellar ataxias
Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT) — dural sinus thrombosis, headache + papilledema + seizure triad, anticoagulation treatment
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT) — hereditary peripheral neuropathy, PMP22 duplication, foot drop, high-arched feet
Chiari Malformation — cerebellar tonsillar herniation, syringomyelia, occipital headache, surgical decompression
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) — acquired demyelinating neuropathy, symmetric weakness, IVIG and plasmapheresis, distinguishing from GBS
Cluster Headache — the most severe primary headache disorder ("suicide headache"), unilateral orbital pain with ipsilateral autonomic features, episodic vs. chronic, high-flow oxygen and sumatriptan SQ for acute attacks, verapamil prevention
Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders — DSPD, ASPD, non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, light therapy, melatonin, chronotherapy
Concussion — mild traumatic brain injury, coup-contrecoup, post-concussion syndrome, return-to-play
Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS) — asymmetric parkinsonism, alien limb phenomenon, apraxia, 4R tauopathy
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) — rapidly progressive dementia, prion disease, RT-QuIC test, myoclonus, no effective treatment
Delirium — acute confusional state, fluctuating attention, hyperactive vs hypoactive subtypes, CAM assessment, reversible causes
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — X-linked dystrophin deficiency, Gowers' sign, cardiomyopathy, exon-skipping therapies
Encephalitis — brain inflammation, HSV emergency (IV acyclovir), autoimmune/anti-NMDAR, CSF and MRI diagnosis
Epilepsy — seizure classification, antiepileptic drugs, surgical options
Essential Tremor — the most common movement disorder, action tremor vs Parkinson's, propranolol/primidone, focused ultrasound
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) — D4Z4 repeat contraction, DUX4 misexpression, scapular winging, facial and shoulder-girdle weakness
Friedreich's Ataxia — GAA trinucleotide repeat, frataxin deficiency, mixed cerebellar-sensory ataxia, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, omaveloxolone
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) — behavioral variant vs language variants, TDP-43/tau/FUS pathology, early personality change, C9orf72
Guillain-Barré Syndrome — ascending flaccid paralysis, molecular mimicry from Campylobacter jejuni, albuminocytologic dissociation, IVIG vs plasmapheresis, FVC monitoring
Hemifacial Spasm — involuntary unilateral facial muscle contractions, vascular compression of facial nerve, botulinum toxin, microvascular decompression
Huntington's Disease — CAG repeat expansion, chorea, genetic testing
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri) — raised intracranial pressure without mass lesion, papilledema, pulsatile tinnitus, acetazolamide, weight loss
Kleine-Levin Syndrome — "sleeping beauty syndrome," recurrent hypersomnia in adolescents, episodes of 16-20hr/day sleep + derealization + hyperphagia, complete normality between episodes, lithium for prevention, self-limited over 8-14 years
Korsakoff Syndrome — thiamine deficiency, anterograde amnesia, confabulation, mammillary body atrophy, thiamine repletion
Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS) — VGCC antibodies, proximal muscle weakness, paradoxical strength with repeated effort, paraneoplastic SCLC association
Lewy Body Dementia (DLB) — second most common dementia, alpha-synuclein cortical deposits, core features of fluctuating cognition + vivid visual hallucinations + REM sleep behavior disorder + parkinsonism, DaTscan, CRITICAL neuroleptic sensitivity (antipsychotics can be fatal), cholinesterase inhibitors
MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome) — full article plus 8 deep-dive guides on mediators & symptom map, testing, low-histamine diet, H1/H2 blocker stacks, cromolyn & ketotifen, triggers & flares, hereditary α-tryptasemia, and natural stabilizers
ME/CFS — post-exertional malaise, pacing, the under-recognized multisystem neuroimmune disease
- Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM) Explained
- 2-Day CPET & Objective Testing
- Pacing & Energy Envelope
- IOM/SEID vs CCC vs ICC Criteria
- Orthostatic Intolerance in ME/CFS
- Post-Viral Triggers: EBV & Others
- Severe & Very Severe ME
- LDN, Abilify & Experimental Therapies
Migraine — cortical spreading depression, CGRP antibodies, triptans, gepants, magnesium/B2/CoQ10
MOG Antibody Disease (MOGAD) — myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease, distinct from MS and NMOSD, bilateral optic neuritis with excellent visual recovery, ADEM in children, cell-based assay required, IVIg/rituximab for relapse prevention, avoid MS DMTs
Multiple Sclerosis — demyelination, McDonald criteria, disease-modifying therapies
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) — parkinsonism + autonomic failure + cerebellar ataxia, alpha-synuclein glial inclusions, MSA-P vs MSA-C subtypes, rapid progression
Myasthenia Gravis — neuromuscular junction, acetylcholine receptor antibodies, thymectomy
Myotonic Dystrophy (DM1 and DM2) — CTG repeat expansion, myotonia, distal muscle weakness, cardiac conduction defects, cataracts
Narcolepsy — Type 1 (cataplexy, hypocretin deficiency) vs Type 2, HLA-DQB1*06:02, MSLT, modafinil/sodium oxybate/pitolisant
Neuromyelitis Optica (NMOSD) — AQP4 antibody, severe optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, distinct from MS, eculizumab/inebilizumab/satralizumab
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) — Hakim's triad (gait, cognition, incontinence), ventriculomegaly with normal opening pressure, VP shunt, tap test
Parkinson's Disease — dopamine depletion, levodopa, deep brain stimulation
Peripheral Neuropathy — nerve damage, diabetic neuropathy, pain management
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) — hypertension-associated vasogenic edema, posterior white matter lesions on MRI, seizures, visual disturbance, blood pressure control
POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) — full article plus 8 deep-dive guides on subtypes, tilt table test, salt & hydration, compression & exercise, medications, the POTS/MCAS/EDS triad, LDN, and vagus nerve & retraining
Prion Disease — misfolded PrP propagation, CJD/FFI/GSS/kuru spectrum, rapidly fatal, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) — vertical gaze palsy, axial rigidity, early falls, 4R tauopathy, Richardson syndrome, no effective disease-modifying therapy
Restless Leg Syndrome — urge to move the legs at rest, sensory discomfort, iron deficiency link, dopaminergic treatments
Restless Legs Syndrome — urge to move the legs, the brain-iron and dopamine link, augmentation, alpha-2-delta ligands
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) — SMN1 deletion, lower motor neuron degeneration, nusinersen/risdiplam/onasemnogene abeparvovec, newborn screening
Stiff-Person Syndrome — anti-GAD65 antibodies, progressive muscle rigidity, episodic spasms, GABA deficit, diazepam/baclofen/IVIG
Stroke — ischemic (87%) vs hemorrhagic (13%), NIHSS scoring, tPA 4.5-hour window, mechanical thrombectomy, DAWN/DEFUSE-3 trials
Subacute Combined Degeneration of the Spinal Cord — vitamin B12 deficiency, posterior and lateral column demyelination, subacute sensory ataxia, B12 repletion
Susac Syndrome — autoimmune endotheliopathy, triad of encephalopathy + branch retinal artery occlusions + sensorineural hearing loss, immunosuppression
TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) — "mini-stroke," ABCD2 score, same-day TIA clinic (EXPRESS trial: 10.3% → 2.1% 90-day stroke risk), dual antiplatelet therapy
Tourette Syndrome — multiple motor + vocal tics, DSM-5 criteria, CBIT behavioral therapy, guanfacine, aripiprazole, valbenazine, ADHD/OCD comorbidities
Transverse Myelitis — spinal cord inflammation, bilateral sensorimotor and autonomic deficits, MRI T2 signal, high-dose steroids, distinguishing from MS/NMOSD
Trigeminal Neuralgia — severe facial nerve pain, carbamazepine, microvascular decompression, the MS link
Vascular Dementia — second most common dementia, subcortical ischemic VaD, Binswanger disease, NINDS-AIREN criteria, cardiovascular risk factor control
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome — thiamine deficiency continuum, Wernicke's acute encephalopathy progressing to Korsakoff's chronic amnesia, IV thiamine urgency
Wernicke's Encephalopathy — acute thiamine deficiency, classic triad of ophthalmoplegia + ataxia + confusion, emergency IV thiamine, alcoholism and malnutrition risk

⚡ Interactive Visualization Nerve Impulse — fire an action potential Watch it race down the axon: sodium rushing in, potassium out, a live voltage trace spiking, and neurotransmitter crossing the synapse. Launch →

Neurology
Research Papers
Connections
Featured Videos

Back to Table of Contents

Key Research Papers

Foundational and recent peer-reviewed publications across the major neurology subspecialties — stroke, dementia, neurodegenerative disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, headache, and movement disorders. Each citation links to the full text via DOI.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke rt-PA Stroke Study Group. Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke. New England Journal of Medicine. 1995;333(24):1581–1587.
Powers WJ, Rabinstein AA, Ackerson T, et al. Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AHA/ASA). Stroke. 2019;50(12):e344–e418.
Berkhemer OA, Fransen PSS, Beumer D, et al. A Randomized Trial of Intraarterial Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke (MR CLEAN). New England Journal of Medicine. 2015;372(1):11–20.
Connolly SJ, Ezekowitz MD, Yusuf S, et al. Dabigatran versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (RE-LY). New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;361(12):1139–1151.
Granger CB, Alexander JH, McMurray JJV, et al. Apixaban versus Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE). New England Journal of Medicine. 2011;365(11):981–992.
Sperling RA, Aisen PS, Beckett LA, et al. Toward Defining the Preclinical Stages of Alzheimer's Disease: Recommendations from the NIA-AA Workgroups on Diagnostic Guidelines for Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2011;7(3):280–292.
Sims JR, Zimmer JA, Evans CD, et al. Donanemab in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease (TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2). JAMA. 2023;330(6):512–527.
van Dyck CH, Swanson CJ, Aisen P, et al. Lecanemab in Early Alzheimer's Disease (CLARITY-AD). New England Journal of Medicine. 2023;388(1):9–21.
Postuma RB, Berg D, Stern M, et al. MDS Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders. 2015;30(12):1591–1601.
Thompson AJ, Banwell BL, Barkhof F, et al. Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis: 2017 Revisions of the McDonald Criteria. Lancet Neurology. 2018;17(2):162–173.
Hauser SL, Bar-Or A, Comi G, et al. Ocrelizumab versus Interferon Beta-1a in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (OPERA I and II). New England Journal of Medicine. 2017;376(3):221–234.
Bensimon G, Lacomblez L, Meininger V. A Controlled Trial of Riluzole in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 1994;330(9):585–591.
Brown RH Jr, Al-Chalabi A. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2017;377(2):162–172.
Fisher RS, Acevedo C, Arzimanoglou A, et al. ILAE Official Report: A Practical Clinical Definition of Epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2014;55(4):475–482.
Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd Edition. Cephalalgia. 2018;38(1):1–211.
Goadsby PJ, Reuter U, Hallström Y, et al. A Controlled Trial of Erenumab for Episodic Migraine. New England Journal of Medicine. 2017;377(22):2123–2132.

Live PubMed Searches

Live PubMed queries that update as new papers are indexed.

Back to Table of Contents

Connections

Back to Table of Contents

All Neurology Articles A–Z

Every article in this specialty, listed alphabetically.

Neurology

Table of Contents

Key Research Papers

Live PubMed Searches

Connections

All Neurology Articles A–Z

Featured Videos