What differences are there between neurologist, neuropsychologist and psychiatrist?

What differences are there between a neurologist and psychiatrist? And what differences are there between a neurologist and a neuropsychologist? Although everyone deal with brain -related diseases, their functions differ.

However, it is about different professionals who treat different diseases. Knowing them will make us know which professional we must go depending on the symptoms we suffer.

Content

• What is a neurologist and what functions he has
• What is a neuropsychologist and what functions it has
  • Can a neuropsychologist medicate?
• What is a psychiatrist and what functions it has
• Difference between neurologist and psychiatrist
• Difference between neurologist and neuropsychologist
• How to know if you need a neurologist, a neuropsychologist or a psychitatra
• Summary: Not all brain diseases are the same

What is a neurologist and what functions he has

First, we will deepen what a neurologist is. This professional deals with all conditions related to the nervous system and muscles, Among those that would be all kinds of dementia, movement disorders, epilepsies, cerebrovascular diseases, headaches or neuromuscular diseases.

Some of the diseases that a neurologist deals with are:

• Parkinson.
• Alzheimer's.
• Ictus.
• Neuropathies.

All of them have in common that they are related to the connections between the muscles and the nervous system.

Therefore, if we perceive that some of these symptoms are given, it will be convenient to visit this specialist so that it can give us a more precise diagnosis, as well as the keys to treating the disease in question.

What is a neuropsychologist and what functions it has

Second, we talk about the neuropsychologist. Neuropsychology is a neuroscience that study the relationship between brain structures and human behavior. This can be applied to both healthy people and people who have suffered some type of brain damage.

The functions of this professional are, for example, Evaluate whether brain damage has occurred in a patient. To do this, use tests that analyze the level of intelligence, memory or attention of the person.

This is applicable to many situations. One of them is in the case of people who have had a drug addiction, since these may have affected important functions of their brain. Determining the degree of affectation after their consumption would be one of the tasks of this professional.

They are also who They carry out the rehabilitation tasks of patients who have suffered damage to cognitive functions. In this sense, the professional will assess this issue taking into account aspects such as age, profession or patient personality type.

Can a neuropsychologist medicate?

Neuropsychologist can help elaborate treatment plans for diseases, injuries and nervous system disorders, but they cannot prescribe medications.

What is a psychiatrist and what functions it has

Finally, in the case of the psychiatrist he is a professional whose work It focuses on the person's mental health. It differs from the psychologist in which this studies the medical career and then specializes in this area to treat mental illnesses.

These specialists do is Diagnose mental and emotional diseases and disorders, for which they proceed to the prescription of drugs. However, they are not usually specialized in psychological therapies.

Difference between neurologist and psychiatrist

The difference between a neurologist and a psychiatrist lies where they focus their knowledge and studies. So:

• A neurologist specializes in brain diseases.
• A psychiatrist specializes in mental disorders.

What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

Difference between neurologist and neuropsychologist

The main difference between a neurologist and a neuropsychologist resides in his ability to treat patients. So:

• A neurologist can use pharmacologists for treatment.
• A neuropsychologist can only use cognitive rehabilitation therapies as a treatment.

How to know if you need a neurologist, a neuropsychologist or a psychitatra

• Neurologist. For example, if we notice that there are disorders in the movement and, in addition, factors such as age are joined, it is likely that what we suffer is some type of neuronal disease. In that case, the neurologist would be the most appropriate professional to value whether it is any neuronal disease.
• Neuropsychologist. In the event that we have suffered an accident or a disease that can leave sequelae in the brain, this specialist can help us determine the degree to which the brain has been affected. Some of the diseases deals with a neuropsychologist are:
  • Emotional behavioral disorders.
  • Pediatric evolutionary disorders, such as:
    • Autistic spectrum disorder.
    • Asperger.
    • Maturational delays such as ADHD.
• Psychiatrist. The psychiatrist would therefore remain to treat diseases and mental disorders that require medication and that affect the behavior of the person. These can be more or less serious, such as phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, anorexia or bulimia. They are also responsible for valuing and diagnosing people who have been able to have problems with the law to determine the degree of criminal responsibility that the subject has, depending on their mental state and their cognitive abilities.

Test: Is your hyperactive child?

Summary: Not all brain diseases are the same

Seen this, although all these professionals dedicate their work and study to brain -related diseases, there are multiple conditions and syndromes related to it that, Depending on their origin, they must be treated by one or the other.

The differences, therefore, are that these treat diseases all related to the brain, but not all brain diseases are the same. They can be of mental, biological, physical origin or as a consequence of an accident or the consumption of toxic substances.

And it is that in the brain there is a world of connections and there are hundreds of diseases and disorders associated with it. Depending on its origin and to what capabilities we affect, we must go to one professional or another, since this will be essential to solve the problem and treat it in the way that is more appropriate.

In summary, The areas in which a neurologist, a neuropsychologist and a psychiatrist work are different And, therefore, they are not the same as another. We hope that after having read these lines you have a little clearer what each of the terms refers to.