Neurology can be both fascinating and frustrating. having a good neurology book can help reduce headaches from struggling with neurology.
To find the best options, I reviewed dozens of book recommendations from medical universities around the world, after which I did my own research.
You are reading: Neurology books for medical students
Most books have very different structures and layouts. one thing i noticed was that many books focus primarily on neuroanatomy or clinical neurology.
One that covers both in one book, and which I highly recommend, is Lange’s Clinical Neurology and Neuroanatomy (link to amazon). it is concise, easy for students to use, but comprehensive enough for most neurology courses and rotations.
Continue below to read my full book review, as well as explore the other options to find the book that’s right for you.
remember that subjects are thought of differently between universities. therefore, you should consult your university’s book recommendations. still, the books listed here should cover everything needed for an average neurology course.
if you’d like to learn more about the process I used to evaluate these books. you can read my article on evaluating medical textbooks.
previous clinical neurology and neuroanatomy
This book is intended to be a neurology one-stop shop for medical students, and it ends up doing a pretty good job.
At around 330 pages, it offers a concise approach to explaining the complex relationship between neuroanatomical structure and function and neurological disease.
The material is divided into two main sections.
The first section refreshes his clinically relevant neuroanatomy in a clinical context. the various neurological pathways are first presented in a typical fashion: axial slice by axial slice with a solid or dashed line representing the pathway as it travels up or down.
This is followed by a discussion of the clinical presentations of roadway injuries. this provides a solid framework for neurological localization and differential diagnosis.
These diseases are then systematically discussed in the second section with a focus on diagnosis and clinical management.
This student-friendly structure is enhanced by material written in layman’s terms. In addition, the book has numerous full-color illustrations, explanatory tables, and high-resolution MRI and CT X-rays, which are of great help in understanding neuroanatomy.
Overall, this book does an excellent job of providing adequate depth for a medical student or non-neurology resident.
If you had to go with just one book, this is my recommendation. to check its structure and design and its affordable price, click this link to go to amazon.
general clinical neurology
next we have an underrated book by lange. For some reason, this book goes unnoticed by most medical students. there is no reason why, since it covers the basic and clinical aspects of neurology in an orderly and understandable way.
The structure of this book is different from Lange’s other books in that it emphasizes the neurological examination and history as the cornerstone of diagnosis and treatment.
It does this by having a separate chapter on history taking and its role in diagnosis. This is followed by a symptom-focused presentation for neurological diseases.
This follows a structure that begins with history taking, diagnosis, location of lesions before discussing individual conditions, their treatment and prognosis
The book also includes many illustrations, diagrams, CT and MRI x-rays, and real-life photographs among its 450 pages.
I think the clinical approach with in-center history taking is very helpful. I also like that it has a separate chapter on diagnoses, including indications, contraindications, procedures, tests, and possible complications.
While excellent for clinical neurology, this book isn’t the best when it comes to neuroanatomy, which might explain why it’s not as popular. Plus, it’s a bit more expensive than many of its peers.
That said, if you’re looking for a clinical insight into neurology, this is an excellent resource definitely worth considering. follow this link to amazon to preview the book and check its current price.
clinical neuroanatomy made ridiculously simple (review book)
Coming from the Ridiculously Simple series, this book offers a brief overview of clinical neuroanatomy to the delight of countless medical students around the world.
In typical book series fashion, the material is intended to be presented in a light-hearted manner, including mnemonics, humor, and cartoonish illustrations.
also, when you buy the book, you get a free digital download of the neurological localization program from the medmaster website, which many students find very useful.
Despite being compressed to 100 pages, it still covers the most important topics, even finding some room for case presentations. That said, it won’t satisfy detail-hungry students.
Although I’m normally a big fan of the series, I have some issues with the design of this one. despite being presented in layman’s terms, the paragraphs are very long, which seems counterintuitive to me when I try to present the material as a digestible review.
Still, students find it a great revision partner for their neurology course as well as usmle board review.
To check it out for yourself, click this link to be directed to amazon. here you will also see its current price and countless positive comments from other students.
comprehensive review in clinical neurology
This book stands apart from the rest by being a complete multiple-choice book. however, unlike those found in shorter review books, each question comes with detailed answers and rationales that make up the bulk of the book.
In total, there are more than 1000 questions and answers on more than 800 pages. Personally, I’m not a big fan of the format. plus, you need to have a decent reference source on the material other than this book to get started.
While this is an effective and resourceful board study book for medical students and residents, it’s not the best choice for the average medical student, especially if you need a book that will take you through the neuroanatomy. .
If you happen to be looking for a board prep book and you like the question and answer format, this might be the book for you. you can check it out by clicking this link to head over to amazon to preview it and see its current price.
neurology models
This terrific book belongs to the blueprints series and offers a concise clinical review of neurology in over 300 pages. It is organized in 3 parts.
The first part is short and addresses the fundamentals of neurological examination and diagnosis.
This is followed by a structured symptom-based neurology review.
The third and final part is a systematic review of individual neurological disorders.
The book is well organized and the material is supported by summary tables, diagrams, and real life radiographs.
also, throughout the book there are blue boxes with key points that summarize the key points of the neurology that is discussed.
See Also: Laurell K. Hamilton – Book Series In Order
not the best resource when it comes to neuroanatomy. and for that reason, it is not a complete resource in my opinion.
however, it is a neat and robust review of clinical neurology that is excellent for board or usmle review.
If this is what you’re looking for, you should definitely give this book a try. you can check it out for yourself by clicking this link to go to amazon. here you can preview the book and check its current price.
practical neurology
Practical Neurology is a comprehensive, full-size textbook on clinical neurology. has organized its 800+ page material into 2 sections.
The first section deals with diagnosis. here, all chapters are titled approach to the patient with (given neurological disorder), which is followed by a structured presentation of the condition in question including epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis.
The second section deals with the treatment of the various conditions discussed in the first section. these chapters deal primarily with the pathophysiology of the condition, but may also include discussions of the anatomic site of the injury.
Personally, I don’t like it when books divide a condition into separate sections of the book. the main reason is that it creates an overlap, and this book is no different.
Also, I don’t find the layout very easy to read and there is a general lack of diagrams, tables and illustrations.
Material-wise, it’s a good book, but considering the structure, design, and price, I think there are better options. if you still want to check it out, you can find it on amazon by clicking on this link.
brs neuroanatomy (review book)
Until now, none of the review books have placed much emphasis on neuroanatomy, luckily the brs series has a book dedicated to it.
Following the powerful brs format, this book highlights the most proven topics in neuroanatomy for usmle step 1.
Although short and concise, it includes many clinical correlation charts, radiographs, full-color illustrations, and over 575 usmle-style questions to improve student performance.
While this book is neuroanatomy performance on steroids, it won’t serve you as well for your neurology rotation.
since lange’s book covers both clinical neurology and neuroanatomy, this book becomes a harder sell.
That said, if neuroanatomy training is what you need, this is the book for you. you can click this link to go to amazon. Here you can check out the powerful formatting and preview of usmle style questions.
bradley’s neurology in clinical practice
I include this book as a courtesy. is the most comprehensive resource on neurology that every neurologist should have, but not every medical student.
As far as the material and its presentation it’s great, however it’s a 2 volume set with over 2000 pages weighing over 15lbs. To add to that, the price you have to pay for this one will get you another 3-4 medical textbooks.
Needless to say, this is too much for the average medical student.
If you’re a neurologist or know you want to become one, you might want to check it out. follow this link to amazon to preview and check its current price.
closing remarks
I hope this article has helped you in your search for the right neurology books for you.
If you found this article useful, please let me and others know by sharing this article. Also, if you have any other suggestions, comments, or questions, you can contact me through the email provided on my about page.
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