Neurology
Browse 133 topics in neurology, including presentations, diagnoses, procedures, tools, and exam links.
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Use the filters below to move between emergency clusters, core pathways, exam topics, procedures, and the most relevant clinical atlas pages.
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
ADEM is predominantly a disease of childhood (median age 5–8 years). The primary clinical challenge is differentiating it from the first presentation of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or MOG Antibody-Associated Disease...
Acute Headache in Adults
Acute headache is one of the most common presentations in emergency departments, representing 2–4% of all visits. The primary clinical challenge is to distinguish common, benign primary headaches (migraine,...
Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP)
AIP is often referred to as a "little imitator" because its symptoms—severe abdominal pain, psychiatric disturbances, and neurological deficits—mimic many common conditions, frequently leading to delayed diagnosis or...
Acute Multiple Sclerosis Relapse
An acute multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse, also termed exacerbation or attack, represents a clinical manifestation of new... MRCP exam preparation.
Acute Parkinson's Crisis (Parkinsonism-Hyperpyrexia Syndrome)
Acute Parkinson’s Crisis, also known as Parkinsonism-Hyperpyrexia Syndrome (PHS), Akinetic Crisis, or Malignant Syndrome... MRCP exam preparation.
Acute Porphyria
The acute porphyrias are a group of rare, inherited metabolic disorders characterized by life-threatening "neurovisceral" attacks. These conditions result from partial deficiencies in enzymes of the heme biosynthetic...
Acute Stroke in Adults
Critical Alerts "Time is Brain" : 1.9 million neurons lost per minute in large vessel occlusion FAST recognition : Face-Arm-Speech-Time enables immediate stroke pathway activation Thrombolysis window :...
Acute Vertigo in Adults
Acute vertigo is the illusion of movement, typically rotational, resulting from asymmetric vestibular system input. It represents a diagnostic challenge in emergency and primary care settings, with critical importance...
Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Adult ADHD is a persistent neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattent... MRCPsych exam preparation.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all cases worldwide. It is a pro... MRCP, PLAB exam preparation.
Anaesthesia for Myasthenia Gravis
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder causing fatigable muscle weakness due to anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies (80-85%) or anti-MuSK antibodies (5-8%). Anaesthetic challenges :...
Angelman Syndrome
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurogenetic disorder caused by loss of function of the maternally inherited UBE3A gene... MRCPCH exam preparation.
Ataxia Telangiectasia
Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic muta... MRCP, MRCPCH, FRACP exam preparation
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in adults represents a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction coupled with restricted, repetitive patterns of...
Autoimmune Encephalitis
The most common subtype is anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, which predominantly affects young women (median age 21 years) and is associated with ovarian teratoma in approximately 50% of female cases. Other important...
Autonomic Nervous System Anatomy
Define/Overview - Division of autonomic nervous system, general organization... CICM First Part Written SAQ, CICM First Part Written MCQ exam preparation.
Bacterial Meningitis - Adult
Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection of the meninges requiring immediate empirical antibiotics (Ceftriax... ACEM Fellowship Written, ACEM Fellow
Bell's Palsy
Comprehensive evidence-based guide to Bell's palsy: acute idiopathic unilateral peripheral facial nerve palsy
Bell's Palsy (Adult)
Bell's palsy is the most common cause of acute unilateral peripheral facial paralysis, accounting for approximately 60-7... MRCP exam preparation.
Botulism
Botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening neuroparalytic illness caused by botulinum toxin, produced by the an... MRCP, USMLE exam preparation.
Brain Injury Pathology - Primary and Secondary Injury Mechanisms
Define Primary vs Secondary Injury - Temporal and mechanistic distinction... CICM First Part Written SAQ, CICM First Part Written MCQ exam preparation.
Brain Tumour
Key Facts Epidemiology : Primary brain tumours: 7-8 per 100,000/year; metastases 10x more common Most common primary tumour : Meningioma (benign); Glioblastoma (malignant) Most common sources of metastases : Lung...
Brucellosis (Malta Fever)
Brucellosis is a systemic zoonotic infection caused by Brucella species, small Gram-negative, facultatively intracellula... MRCP exam preparation.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Diagnosis is primarily clinical, supported by provocative maneuvers including Phalen's test and Durkan's carpal compression test . Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) provide objective severity grading and guide management...
Cavovarus Foot
The cavovarus foot is a complex three-dimensional deformity characterized by a pathologically elevated longitudinal arch (cavus), hindfoot varus angulation, and forefoot adduction. Unlike the more common and often...
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
Incidence : 1-2 per 100,000/year, increasing with age Presentation : Sudden painless monocular vision loss (typically count fingers or worse) Critical time window : 90-110 minutes for irreversible retinal damage...
Cerebral Blood Flow & Autoregulation
Normal CBF values: 50 mL/100g/min total; grey matter 80-100, white matter 20-25 mL/100g/min... CICM First Part Written, CICM First Part Viva exam preparation
Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is thrombosis of the dural venous sinuses and/or cerebral veins, causing impaire... MRCP exam preparation.
Cervical Radiculopathy (Adult)
Cervical radiculopathy is a neurological condition characterized by compression or inflammation of a cervical nerve root, resulting in radicular pain, sensory disturbance, and/or motor weakness in a dermatomal and...
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy (CSM)
The clinical syndrome is characterised by an insidious onset of neurological dysfunction manifesting as deterioration in fine motor control of the hands, gait disturbance with spastic features, and a distinctive...
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
CMT is characterised by Progressive Distal Muscle Weakness and Atrophy , Sensory Loss , Foot Deformities (Particularly Pes Cavus and Hammer Toes) , and Reduced or Absent Deep Tendon Reflexes . The hallmark clinical...
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (Hereditary Motor-Sensory Neuropathy)
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited peripheral neuropathy, affecting approximately 1 in 2,500 individuals globally. It represents a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized...
Chiari Malformations
The classification encompasses four types, though Type I and Type II account for the vast majority of clinical presentations:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
Comprehensive evidence-based guide to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis and management including IOM/CDC criteria, post-exertional malaise, severity classification, and energy management...
Delirium in ICU: Assessment, Prevention and Management
Definition (DSM-5): Acute disturbance in attention and awareness that develops over hours to days and fluctuates in s... CICM Second Part Written, CICM Secon
Dementia
Diagnosis requires comprehensive assessment including cognitive testing (MMSE, MoCA, ACE-III), exclusion of reversible causes (B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism, normal pressure hydrocephalus, depression), and...
Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease, accounti... MRCP, USMLE exam preparation.
Dermatomyositis
Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy characterised by the combination of proximal muscle weakness... MRCP exam preparation.
Dystonia
The most common form in adults is Cervical Dystonia (Spasmodic Torticollis) , affecting 5-10 per 100,000 individuals, with a female predominance (2:1) . A pathognomonic clinical feature is the "Sensory Trick" (Geste...
Epilepsy in Adults: Clinical Diagnosis and Management
1.1 Summary Epilepsy is defined by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) as a disease of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures and by the neurobiological,...
Essential Tremor
Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder worldwide, with prevalence estimates ranging from 0.9% in the... MRCP exam preparation.
Extrapyramidal Side Effects (EPS)
Recognition of EPS is paramount for the clinician. These effects not only cause profound physical and psychological distress but are also the primary drivers of medication non-adherence, leading to disease relapse....
Eye Anatomy and Pupillary Reflexes
Overview - Pupil anatomy and control mechanisms... CICM First Part Written SAQ, CICM First Part Written MCQ exam preparation.
Febrile Convulsion (Febrile Seizure) in Children
Febrile convulsions are seizures occurring in children aged 6 months to 5 years, associated with fever (temperature ≥38°... MRCPCH exam preparation.
Focal Seizures (Partial Seizures)
Focal seizures originate from a localized area within one cerebral hemisphere, representing approximately 60% of all epilepsy cases. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) 2017 classification replaced the...
Fragile X Syndrome (Child)
Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the Most Common Inherited Cause of Intellectual Disability and the Most Common Single-Gene Cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) . It is an X-Linked Dominant Disorder caused by a CGG...
Friedreich's Ataxia
The disease typically manifests before age 25 years (mean onset 10-15 years) with progressive gait ataxia, followed by limb ataxia, dysarthria, sensory loss, and loss of deep tendon reflexes. The pathognomonic...
Frontotemporal Dementia
FTD encompasses three main clinical syndromes: behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD), semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), and nonfluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA). The underlying...
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) represents one of the most common and challenging presentations in neurology and ... MRCPsych, MRCS exam preparation.
Generalised Epilepsy
Generalised epilepsies account for approximately 30-40% of all epilepsy cases, with a strong genetic component in many subtypes, leading to the term "genetic generalised epilepsies" (GGE) replacing the older...
Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal Arteritis)
A comprehensive, evidence-based guide to Giant Cell Arteritis, covering emergency management of visual loss, temporal artery ultrasound, tocilizumab therapy, and steroid-sparing strategies. Essential reading for MRCP,...
Glioblastoma (GBM)
Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive primary malignant brain tumour in adults, representing approximately 45-50% of all malignant primary brain tumours. It is classified as a WHO Grade 4 astrocytoma...
Guillain-Barré Syndrome
The pathophysiology involves molecular mimicry, where antibodies generated against infectious agents cross-react with peripheral nerve components, leading to demyelination (in acute inflammatory demyelinating...
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (Adult)
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute, post-infectious, immune-mediated polyneuropathy representing the most common ... MRCP exam preparation.
Headache in Children
Headache is one of the most common neurological complaints in childhood, affecting up to 75% of children by age 15 years. While parental anxiety frequently centres on the possibility of brain tumours, more than 90% of...
Hearing Loss in Adults
Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting adults worldwide, with profound implications for quality of life, cognitive function, and social participation. Approximately 1.5 billion people...
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG trinucleotide re... MRCP exam preparation.
Hypertensive Emergency in Adults
Hypertensive emergency is severe hypertension (typically SBP 180 mmHg and/or DBP 120 mmHg) with evidence of acute end-organ damage requiring immediate blood pressure reduction within minutes to hours to prevent...
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) is a disorder characterized by elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in the ab... MRCP Part 2 exam preparation.
Infantile Spasms (West Syndrome)
Infantile Spasms (IS), also known as West Syndrome or Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome (IESS) , is a severe age-specific epileptic encephalopathy predominantly affecting infants between 3-12 months of age . It...
Intracerebral Haemorrhage
Comprehensive Gold Standard guide to intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) for postgraduate medical examinations including MRCP, FRCS, and medical finals.
Intracranial Haemorrhage in Adults
Comprehensive emergency diagnosis and management of intracranial haemorrhage including intracerebral, subarachnoid, subdural, and epidural haemorrhage in adults
Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Systems
Monro-Kellie Doctrine: The cranium is a rigid box with fixed volume ( 1,400-1,700 mL); the sum of brain (80%), blood ... CICM Second Part Written, CICM Secon
Intraventricular Haemorrhage (Neonatal)
Intraventricular Haemorrhage (IVH), also termed Germinal Matrix Haemorrhage-Intraventricular Haemorrhage (GMH-IVH), repr... MRCPCH exam preparation.
Ischaemic Stroke
Clinical Significance : Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally and a leading cause of adult disability. From 1990 to 2021, the global burden increased substantially with a 70% increase in incident...
Ischaemic Stroke (Adult)
Ischaemic stroke is the sudden onset of focal neurological deficit resulting from arterial occlusion, leading to cerebral infarction. It represents approximately 85% of all strokes, with the remaining 15% being...
Japanese Encephalitis
A comprehensive gold-standard guide to Japanese Encephalitis, covering the Culex mosquito vector, classic thalamic MRI changes, CSF findings, vaccination protocols, supportive care, and neurological sequelae.
Labyrinthitis (Adult)
Labyrinthitis is acute inflammation of the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear, affecting both the vestibular apparatu... MRCP, FRCS ENT exam preparation.
Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS)
Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS) is a rare autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junction characterized by pr... MRCP exam preparation.
Lumbar Puncture (Emergency)
CT before LP is required if: age greater than 60, immunocompromised, CNS disease history, recent seizure, focal neuro... ACEM Fellowship Written, ACEM Fellow
Lumbar Spine and CSF Dynamics
Define/Describe - Overview of lumbar spine anatomy... CICM First Part Written SAQ, CICM First Part Written MCQ exam preparation.
Medication Overuse Headache
The condition typically develops in patients with an underlying primary headache disorder (most commonly migraine or tension-type headache) who escalate their use of acute symptomatic medications beyond safe...
Ménière's Disease (Adult)
Ménière's disease is a chronic disorder of the inner ear characterised by endolymphatic hydrops (excessive endolymph accumulation in the membranous labyrinth), resulting in the classic triad of episodic vertigo ,...
Meningitis and Encephalitis in Adults
Meningitis and encephalitis are life-threatening infections of the central nervous system requiring immediate recognition and treatment. Bacterial meningitis is inflammation of the meninges caused predominantly by...
Migraine Headache
Comprehensive evidence-based guide to migraine diagnosis, acute treatment, and prophylaxis in adults
Migraine in Adults: Comprehensive Clinical Management
Migraine is a chronic, episodic neurovascular disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of moderate-to-severe headache... MRCP exam preparation.
Mitochondrial Diseases
These conditions arise from mutations in either mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes (showing maternal inheritance) or nuclear DNA (nDNA) genes (showing Mendelian inheritance patterns). Because mitochondria are present in...
Motor Neurone Disease
The hallmark of MND is the combination of upper motor neurone (UMN) and lower motor neurone (LMN) signs in the same body region, without sensory involvement. This distinguishes it from other neuromuscular conditions....
Motor Neurone Disease (ALS)
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterised by selective degeneration o... MRCP exam preparation.
Multiple Sclerosis (Adult)
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (... MRCP, Neurology Specialty exam prepa