Neurologia

Stroke is common, complicated to manage, and, until recently, remarkably neglected. Over the past 30 years, good evidence has emerged that thorough and organised care from teams of health professionals on stroke units leads to substantially fewer deaths and better recovery than other types of care. In fact, stroke medicine is emerging as a separate specialty for health professionals, creating a need for learning and training materials specifically designed to capture and pass on this expertise. Aimed at all the members of the stroke team, including doctors, nurses, stroke co-ordinators, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapy members, this new edition provides a holistic approach to the care of patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and stroke. It covers the wide range of knowledge and skills needed to tackle problems that may lead up to, or follow on from a stroke, and follows the course of a patient's journey from diagnosis to life at home, incorporating recent changes in the field and the latest clinical trials. It also covers the principles of rehabilitation, as well as secondary prevention, discharge planning, specific interventions, prognosis for various neurological deficits, and longer terms problems, including spasticity and psychiatric complications.

Pelvic Organ Dysfunction in Neurological Disease describes the neurological control of human bladder, bowel and sexual function and then details the dysfunctions which may arise as a consequence of various neurological diseases. Easy to read, the book will be of value to any healthcare professional managing patients in whom pelvic organ functions have been compromised by neurological disease. The book provides a structured approach to present day understanding of the neurological control of pelvic organs and the investigation and management of each type of organ dysfunction. A unique feature of this book is that it addresses the impact of specific neurological disorders on all three functions. The authors have all been associated with the Department of Uro-Neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London since it was established 20 years ago. This book is a timely review of their accumulated knowledge and the latest literature.

Bridging the clinical electrophysiological investigation with the neurological consultation Acutely ill patients present with symptoms that don't immediately yield a diagnosis. Electrophysiological testing can support diagnosis but only if the appropriate tests are ordered. They must be properly interpreted in conjunction with the actual symptoms. Clinical Electrophysiology presents a wide range of symptoms with specific electrophysiological results. The handbook shows how the complete picture leads to better diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic conclusions. The book is organized by the presenting neurological problem in a clinical setting. For each case the authors provide a possible electrophysiological result. This is interpreted and tied to the patient's symptoms to yield a clinical solution. The handbook avoids theoretical discussion to provide a direct practical guide that:* Begins with the patient's symptoms* Uses a range of electrophysiological modalities* Shows different test results for similar symptoms* Relates clinical observation to electrophysiological testing A final casebook section presents readers with rarer clinical challenges for self-testing. Providing practical, to-the-point guidance on electrophysiological investigations, Clinical Electrophysiology will guide all neurologists attending acutely ill patients.

There is a vast literature on what has often been called the doctor-patient relationship, patient-provider interaction, therapist-patient encounter, and such like. However, it is thanks to recent advances within neuroscience, that we now find ourselves in a much better position to be able to describe and discuss the biological mechanisms that underlie the doctor-patient relationship. For example, we now know that different physiological and biochemical mechanisms take part in complex functions, like trust, hope, empathy and compassion, which are all key elements in the therapist-patient encounter. With this neuroscientific knowledge in their hands, health professionals will soon be able to directly see how their words, attitudes, and behaviours activate and inactivate molecules, cortical areas, and sensory systems in the brains of their patients. This revolutionary new book describes and explains how this new scientific knowledge can be put to great practical use. It shows how, from a neuroscientific perspective, the doctor-patient relationship can be subdivided into at least four steps: feeling sick, seeking relief, meeting the therapist, and receiving therapy. The main advantage to approaching the doctor-patient relationship from a neuroscientific perspective is that physicians, psychologists and health professionals can better understand what kind of changes they can induce in their patients' brains, further boosting the professional's empathic and compassionate behaviour. Written by the author of the critically acclaimed 'Placebo Effects', this book will lead to a better awareness of the potential power that the doctor's behaviour may have on the patient's behaviour and capacity for recovery from illness, as well as to better medical practice and social/communication skills. It will be required reading for physicians, psychotherapists, and neuroscientists.

Recent developments in basic and applied science have led to better understanding of disease mechanisms and more efficient therapies for multiple sclerosis. The most effective way of managing these patients is through a carefully planned neurorehabilitation programme. The main aims are to reduce disability and handicap and improve functions through effective training, stimulating activity and social participation. As the first text on recovery of function and neurorehabilitation in MS, this book focuses on mechanisms of recovery, application of neuroplasticity to therapeutic interventions, and determination of the efficiency of these interventions. Basic principles of neurorehabilitation in MS are described, as well as techniques for treating specific syndromes which may occur in MS. Written and edited by leading clinicians and researchers, the book achieves an excellent balance between basic science, pathophysiology, and clinical rehabilitation. An essential resource for clinicians and therapists treating patients with multiple sclerosis, neurophysiologists, and health care advisors.

Growth in the incidence of dementia presents major challenges to global healthcare systems. As the burden of dementia in non-Western cultures grows, developing nations are expected to overtake developed nations in terms of dementia prevalence. Insights from developing nations and transcultural considerations are, nevertheless, neglected in the published literature. Dementia: A Global Approach fills this gap by integrating contemporary cross-cultural knowledge about dementia. Each section reviews the literature from the published, predominantly Western, perspective, contrasting it with empirical knowledge from non-Western cultures. Covering major clinical, epidemiological and scientific areas of interest, detailed consideration is also given to care-giving models across the world and management of patients who have migrated between regions. Enriched with personal insights from clinical experts across the globe, this is a key text for neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, epidemiologists and all those responsible for managing provisions of dementia services.

Sleep disorders are increasingly recognized as a major clinical problem, with significant morbidity and considerable economic importance. This compendium of case studies presents a diverse range of situations which challenge the problem-solving abilities of all those interested in sleep disorders, covering both common and unusual cases. Each case begins with a clinical history, followed by examination findings and special investigations and culminating in diagnosis, treatment and management, with discussion of differential diagnosis where appropriate. Focusing attention on the major categories of sleep medicine, including insomnia, hypersomnias, sleep-breathing disorders, parasomnias, movement disorders, circadian dysrhythmias and the neurology of sleep, this clinical guide promotes integrative thinking and diagnostic skill. Historical and review citations, illustrations and concise real-life stories stimulate memory and facilitate learning. Written and edited by an international cadre of sleep professionals, this book will inform and challenge established specialists and provide a stimulating teaching tool for those in training.