ABSTRACT

Introduction Neurologic disorders are commonly encountered in general clinical practice (about 10% of patients of primary care physicians in the United States have neurologic disorders, and about 25% of inpatients have a neurologic disorder as a primary or secondary problem). Because of the aging population, cerebrovascular disorders, dementias, and Parkinson disease are becoming more prevalent. Understanding a patient with neurologic disease depends on localizing the problem on the basis of the medical history and examination findings, considering a differential diagnosis, and correlating the clinical findings with abnormalities found on appropriate diagnostic testing.