Mood and psychotic disorders account for a substantial burden of mental disease. These disorders are often first evaluated in primary care offices or emergency departments. This chapter will focus on a selection of these commonly encountered disorders: major depressive disorder,…
Neuromyelitis Optica (Devic Disease) and Neuromyelitis Optic Spectrum Disorder Clinical Vignette A 58-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with a 5-day history of numbness and weakness in both lower extremities, a tight bandlike sensation across her chest associated with…
Incidence Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic disabling immunologic disease of the central nervous system among young people, typically presenting in the third to fifth decades of life, affecting women more than men. It is estimated that approximately…
Clinical Vignette A 70-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of gait slowness and unsteadiness. She sustained several falls, usually backward. She began using a cane 1 year ago. She has noticed difficulty standing up or getting out of her…
Medical treatment of movement disorders continues to be effective but has substantial limitations. For decades, the surgical treatment of movement disorders centered around the creation of lesions within the brain. Developments in technology made neuromodulation, in the form of deep…
Clinical Vignette A 25-year-old swimming champion presented with sudden onset of gait disturbance and tremor. She presented to the clinic with her boyfriend and mother. On examination, she walked slowly and gingerly with her arms held out and fell repeatedly…
Clinical Vignette A 52-year-old Caucasian woman presented to a psychiatrist with her first manic episode. Patient had never been treated with any antipsychotic medication in her life. During the current episode, she was treated with aripiprazole 30 mg During a follow-up…
Clinical Vignette A 9-year-old boy presented to the neurology clinic with 1 year of excessive eye blinking. He was accompanied by his parents. His past medical history was unremarkable; he was born at term and reached all developmental milestones appropriately.…
Clinical Vignette A 73-year-old, right-handed man with history of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension presented with cardiac arrest followed by resuscitation with subsequent development of anoxic brain injury. He was seen by a neurologist in…
Clinical Vignette Sylvia is a 59-year-old, right-handed teacher who developed jerky movements in her body within the past 3–4 years and was now “fidgety” all the time. Her family observed intellectual changes; she seemed withdrawn and forgetful, was occasionally inappropriate…