ABOUT THIS BOOK

Even in this information age, it is a daunting task to find clear, concise, and credible sources for essential medical facts. And for those dealing with the symptoms of often serious neurological disorders, finding trustworthy and straightforward information is gravely important.

Treating the Brain is precisely what has been missing for non-specialists. Focusing on the most common neurological conditions, it provides accurate, reliable information to patients, caregivers, and health practitioners from the neurologist whose professional text informs neurologists worldwide.. Walter G. Bradley, one of the nation’s foremost neurologists and the editor of the leading neurology textbook Neurology in Clinical Practice, navigates the complexities of the brain in highly accessible language. Treating the Brain is the definitive resource for patients, offering a coherent and up-to-date understanding of what physicians know about the brain. In the United States alone, one-quarter of all new consultations between patients and their family physician is a result of a neurological problem. Using case histories as examples, Treating the Brain explains the neurological examinations and tests and clinical features, causes, and treatments available for Alzheimer’s disease, migraines, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s and other frequently diagnosed neurological disorders.

For anyone who has ever had a neurological symptom, from a headache to tingling hands, and for anyone with a personal interest in how the brain works in health and disease, Treating the Brain will prove to be a valuable, easy-to-read source of a wide-range of information.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Walter Bradley is a Fulbright Fellow, the lead author of Neurology in Clinical Practice, and the emeritus chairman of the Department of Neurology at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami.

REVIEWS

“The human brain is the organ that allows us to perceive and act, to learn and remember, and to think and feel. Dr. Walter G. Bradley, one of the world's leading neurologists, has written a wonderful book for people who are not neurologists, but want to learn about the brain. This book clearly describes how this complex organ works, what happens when it breaks down and how it might be repaired. Dr. Bradley's book is an ideal user's handbook."—Kenneth M. Heilman M.D., James E. Rooks Jr. Distinguished Professor Department of Neurology University of Florida

— Kenneth M. Heilman

"'We are our brains,' observed Hippocrates, over two millennia ago. We all have one, and it behooves us to know as much about it as possible, since one in three of us will suffer from a brain disease. Professor Bradley, with the hard earned ease of decades of neurological practice, education and research, conveys vital knowledge in a manner that is both interesting and enlightening. A high achievement indeed."—Vladimir Hachinski, University of Western Ontario

— Vladimir Hachinski

"Here's a man in a white coat who gets right to the point, makes it clearly--and has a good story to tell along the way. Chairman emeritus of the neurology department at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, Bradley is the patient-friendly doc for the rest of us, providing an easy-to-read roadmap through the research, anatomy and science of the convoluted highway and byways of the brain. 'You have to go to see Dr. Bradley. He will figure out what is wrong with you!' one family doctor urged his own hard-to-figure patients. It's not just bragging. Bradley coolly tackles diagnoses from migraines to movement disorders, brain injury to neuropathies, epilepsy to cancer. None of it is terrain. But Bradley navigates with such ease and wisdom--gleaned primarily from his own practice--that the information, even if occasionally frightening (chapters are devoted to head and spinal cord injuries, brain cancer and other diseases of the brain and nervous system), is never overwhelming. 'In good health, we need to respect and protect the brain if we expect it to do everything we ask of it.' Luckily, there's this handy guide for the times when we need help."--Publishers Weekly

— Publishers Weekly

"This is an excellent and rather unique idea, [and] the personal, patient-based approach is appealing. One of the difficulties with this type of book is to know how detailed to be [and still] remain comprehensive to the inquisitive and intelligent reader....[Bradley] has found the middle road."--Andrew Eisen, MD, FRCPC, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia Neurology

— Andrew Eisen

"There is a need for a book that discusses diseases of the brain in plain English. Walter Bradley's book does just that. Dr. Bradley is talking to the reader, as he has to many patients, covering not only the medical, but also the everyday aspects of problems. A lifetime of caring and thoughtful advice comes through clearly."--Guy McKhann, MD, Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University

— Guy McKhann

"With so much of the brain still shrouded in mystery, this book gives a blow by blow account of how the brain works and the various injuries and diseases that can plague it. Treating the Brain is a wonderful handbook for all who wish to learn more and hope to help fathom our future potential to heal."--Lee Woodruff, coauthor of In an Instant and author of Perfectly Imperfect

— Lee Woodruff

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface Chapter 1 The Brain, Our Most Fascinating Organ Chapter 2 Alzheimer’s Disease Chapter 3 Stroke Chapter 4 Epilepsy Chapter 5 Multiple Sclerosis Chapter 6 Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders Chapter 7 Head Injury Chapter 8 Spinal Cord Injury Chapter 9 The Brain and Cancer Chapter 10 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Chapter 11 Migraine and Other Headaches Chapter 12 Peripheral Neuropathies and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Appendix A: Neurology 101 Appendix B: Glossary Further Reading Further Sources of Information Index

EXCERPT

FROM CHAPTER ONE:

The Human Brain, Complex But Fascinating

Patients need to understand what they are suffering from and what they are likely to face as they deal with their disease. Doctors should provide that information and help the patient understand the cause of the disease and its treatment. An informed patient handles the condition better and is more likely to follow the doctor’s treatment recommendations. The initial dialogue about the disease, its diagnosis and treatment is the most important part of establishing a good doctor-patient relationship. Patients particularly want to know what is going to happen and doctors are often reluctant to talk about the prognosis. Nowhere is truer than in the field of neurological diseases.

Forty years ago when I became a neurologist, the lay public had access to very little information about neurological diseases, other than through their doctors….

It is not uncommon for patients to come to me having made their own diagnosis from the Internet….However, information from the Internet has its problems. Much of what patients find on the Web is inaccurate and much of it is commercially based. Even if the information is accurate, often patients do not have enough background knowledge to be able to interpret the complexity of medical diagnosis and treatment.

This book is truly intended to make neurology understandable to the layman. It covers some of the most common neurological conditions, how they are diagnosed and treated, and what is their likely outcome. It is particularly intended for patients and others who are interested. But I also hope that it will interest many other people in what I call “the Last Frontier,” namely the brain….

I have included many stories about patients in this book. Patients make up a large part of the life of a physician, even for someone like me who is involved in a good deal of research and administration. Many of the insights into the normal and abnormal function of the nervous system come from stories of individual patients. That is why we need more than just neuroscientists doing research on the nervous system and more than just neurologists caring for patients. The neurologist-neuroscientist plays a critical role, taking problems from the bedside and investigating them in the laboratory. That person then needs to teach patients and students.

…The vignettes in this book are all derived from people I have met over the years. Some of the details have been changed to maintain patient privacy and at times I have combined the stories of two patients for conciseness….However, I have tried to maintain the spirit of each person’s history while using the vignettes to tell a story.

If you or a loved one has a neurological problem, then your interest in the brain and neurology is much more personal. You want to know as much as possible about your particular condition; how the neurologist made the diagnosis and whether it was correct; the latest information about the condition and how is it treated; what is going to happen to you. Most of all, you want reassurance that you are being cared for in the best possible fashion.

In this book I will present enough information for someone who wants to know about each condition, whether it be you or a loved one who has been given the diagnosis. I will try to make the information understandable and help you though the morass of detail. I will try to present the good and the bad, but always leave you with hope; hope that comes from a clearer understanding about the disease and current treatments, and hope that comes from on-going research.…