NEURO PSYCHIATRY

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NEURO PSYCHIATRY

What Is Neuropsychiatry?

Neuropsychiatry deals with mental disorders that are connected to problems with the nervous system. It combines neurology and psychiatry, both of which are usually separate practices. Neuropsychiatry works by combining both worlds. Why is that important? Let's look at the two professions separately to find out.

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Psychiatry

Psychiatry is a profession that evaluates, diagnoses, and treats mental disorders. A psychiatrist diagnoses mental disorders using the DSM-V, and they need to have a careful evaluation of their patients to ensure a proper diagnosis. Once they diagnose the person, a psychiatrist can then be able to treat them through medicine, psychotherapy, and may use electrical therapy as well. A psychiatrist treats depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and many other forms of mental disorders.

Neurology

A neurologist is someone who diagnoses and treats disorders that are connected to the nervous system. When there is an abnormality in the brain, spinal cord, or nerves, a neurologist hopes to treat it. Examples of neurological disorders include weak muscles, lack of sensation, seizures, pain, paralysis, different levels of consciousness, and more.

So Why Combine The Two?

Recently, there has been a debate as to whether or not psychiatry and neurology should be practiced together or separately. According to those who want to combine the two, the separation of neurology and psychiatry has little to do with science, and more to do with beliefs. The beliefs come down to this: psychiatry is all about the mind, and neurology is about the brain. However, the mind is the brain, so it makes the separation seem odd to some people.

Recently Asked Questions

Medications, psychological and/or psychiatric therapy are common treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. Specific treatments will vary based on the precise cause, clinical presentation and severity.


The key component of neuropsychiatric disorders is that the symptoms tend to impact brain function, emotion and mood.

These can range from problems with focus and learning in the case of ADHD to sadness, irritability, memory problems, mood problems, depression to a variety of other psychiatric and/or neurological symptoms.

Some of the most common causes include:

  • traumatic head injury (TBI)
  • infections
  • medication side effects
  • attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome (ADHD)
  • genetic predisposition
  • environmental factors
  • In some cases, cause may be unknown, may be related to other factors.

Neuropsychiatric disorder is a blanket medical term that encompasses a broad range of medical conditions that involve both neurology and psychiatry. 

Common neuropsychiatric disorders include:

  • seizures
  • attention deficit disorders
  • cognitive deficit disorders
  • palsies
  • uncontrolled anger
  • migraine headaches
  • addictions
  • eating disorders
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • Neuropsychiatric disorders in children can range widely in cause, course, and severity.