HOW TO LOCALIZE NEUROLOGIC LESIONS BY PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

Course overview

THE HUMAN BRAIN HAS A HIGHLY COMPLEX STRUCTURE. IT CONTAINS BILLIONS OF NEURONS WIRED TOGETHER THROUGH TRILLIONS OF CONNECTIONS. EACH PORTION OF THE BRAIN HAS A DISTINCT SET OF FUNCTIONS. DAMAGE TO A PART OF THE BRAIN RESULTS IN CHARACTERISTIC CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS. KNOWLEDGE OF NEUROANATOMY, FUNCTIONS OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BRAIN, AND CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS RESULTING FROM DAMAGE TO A PART OF THE BRAIN ARE OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE IN THE LOCALIZATION OF A NEUROLOGICAL LESION. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE OFTEN CHALLENGED WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS KNOWLEDGE. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IN THE LOCALIZATION OF A NEUROLOGICAL LESION AND IS AIMED AT DELIVERING A SUCCINCT AND EASY TO REVIEW OVERVIEW OF THE SUBJECT.