This textbook takes as a premise that, in order to make intelligent diagnosis and provide a
rational treatment in disorders of the nervous system, it is necessary to develop the capacity to
answer the basic questions of clinical neurology: (1) Where is the disease process located? (2)
What is the nature of the disease process?
The purpose of this textbook is to enable the medical student to acquire the basic information
of the neurosciences and neurology and most importantly the ability to apply that information to
the solution of clinical problems. The authors also suggest that hospital trips be a part of any
Clinical Neurosciences Course so that the student can put into actual practice what he has learned
in the classroom.
We believe that this textbook will be of value to the student throughout the four years of the
medical school curriculum.
Medical, psychiatry and neurology residents may also find this text of value as an introduction
or review.
It is more true in neurology than in any other system of medicine that a firm knowledge of
basic science material, that is, the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the nervous system,
enables the student and physician to readily arrive at the diagnosis of where the disease process is
located and the nature of the most likely pathology. Subsequently that knowledge may be applied
to problem solving in clinical situations.
The two authors have a long experience in teaching neuroscience courses at the first or second
year medical student level in which clinical information and clinical problem solving are integral
to the course. In addition the first author has developed a case history problem solving seminar in
which all medical students at the University of Massachusetts participate during their clinical
neurology clerkship rotation. This provides the students an opportunity to refresh their problem
solving skills and to review and update that basic science material essential for clinical neurology.
The second author has had extensive experience in utilizing sections of this text in neuroscience
courses for advanced undergraduate college students and ancillary health profession students.
At these several levels, we have observed that this approach reinforces the subject matter
learned by markedly increasing the interest of the students in both basic and clinical science
material.