Preventive Neurology

  SFX Search  Buy Article Permissions and Reprints Joshua Weaver, MD Ilene S. Ruhoy, MD, PhD

Neurology has taken more of a center stage in the medical landscape, a far cry from its previous small ownership of human disease. Over the past few decades, there has been increasingly more emphasis on the role of the nervous system in overall human health and disease as well as its critical interaction and regulation of other emphasized organs such as the immune system and the gastrointestinal system.

This exponential interest in the neurological system was supported by the seemingly increased prevalence of chronic disease. The central and peripheral nervous systems are at the same time resilient yet vulnerable. There are ever-increasing demands placed upon our homeostatic capability due to a world that at times seems to have intent to harm us. The modern world with its never-ending demands on our time and energy has left us bereft of control to care for ourselves in a way that can tap into that grit, that resilience, the human body has.

People are suffering—now more so than ever before due to an unexpectedly long pandemic—and the cost and burden of chronic illness is now at unprecedented levels. The truth is there is a limit to what modern medicine can offer in terms of providing accurate diagnoses as well as curative treatments for much of what ails us today. We are sent from one referral to the next and the clear path of treatment is often elusive and rarely unanimous. We must pivot and focus our time and energy to how to keep our bodies and minds safe, and we should start with our nervous system which has evolved intricate mechanisms to protect us from disease.

A preventive approach is our only viable answer. Chronic illness of all types alters quality of life and the ability of the individual to engage in any meaningful manner in family, social, or occupational activities. Preventive medicine has been part of the national dialogue for many decades and there are many tenets that at this time in our national discourse are well received and well accepted. It has not been, however, applied to neurological disorders, at least not in any robust manner or that has gained a foothold in neurologic practices. But preventive neurology is neurology and should be a standard part of any neurologic care. That may sound to be conflicting—if you already have the disease then why work to prevent it—but most neurological diseases are chronic and progressive; so, preventive measures may help minimize symptoms or slow down and possibly halt progression.

Preventive neurology should be understood by all who are interested in reclaiming some control over their health through the course of their lives, and while this is in no way meant to imply we know definitively how to avoid chronic neurological disease, we do know many things that may shift the ratio in our body's favor so as to retain some of that resilience contained within. Hopefully, over the course of the next few decades, scientific research will teach us more about these dreaded neurodegenerative disorders and other maladies that affect our neurological systems.

In this issue of Preventive Neurology, a team of excellent neurologists offer guidance on preventive measures for a multitude of disorders including headaches, stroke, myopathy, dementia, epilepsy, and more. It also offers an insightful look at some of the better researched and documented forms of preventive approaches including nutrition, fasting, and other therapeutic modalities. This is a unique and novel approach to neurological care but one that will likely prove to be highly beneficial for the well-being of not only patients everywhere but doctors as well.

We are excited to bring this compilation of articles to start to shift the current paradigm within which we all practice. We see in our own practices the effect of this type of guidance on patients who need our help. It brings hope, trust, and gratitude which in turn strengthens our relationships with our patients and enhances our motivation and dedication to the practice of neurology. We hope this issue will spark a similar interest in neurologists, other specialists, researchers and scientists, and patients across the globe.

Publication History

Article published online:
13 December 2022

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