The evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a clinical tool, be it a diagnostic technique, a preventive methodology, or a therapeutic intervention, is an im portant responsibility of physicians. The history of medicine is characterized by the authoritarianisms of teachers and of organizations giving way to the clinical experience of physicians; authoritarian dictum was replaced by case report and then by case series. As physicians learned to substitute the analysis of data for the inconsistencies of dictums and anecdotes, the problems of the case series as an investigative tool became more evident: patient selection criteria, measurements of outcome, significance of results, and extrapolation of conclusions to the community of patients. In response to these issues, the methodology of the controlled clinical trial has evolved and with it the instru ments of study design and of biostatistics as aids to study design and data analysis. The medical - surgical armamentarium has evolved from being dependent solely upon the observations and conclusions of a skilled clinician to being constructed upon the systematic collection and evaluation of data by a team of skilled clinicians and their statistical colleagues: this is the controlled clinical trial. During the past two decades, the evaluation of clinical approaches to pre vention and therapy has become particularly important to clinicians concerned with nervous system dysfunction. There has been and continues to be an explosion of information from the basic neurosciences and from the applica tion of biotechnology to the nervous system.

Clinical Trials in Neurology comprehensively tackles the methodology and design of clinical trials in neurological disease. A general section deals with the ethical aspects, drug development and regulatory requirements, basic trial designs and the statistics used. A diseases section tackles specific aspects of disorders, focusing on the relevant ethical issues, outcome variables and experience with large multicentre trials.

Most neurological disorders are chronic and aging-related. With the increase of life expectancy their incidence and prevalence will grow in the decades to come, which in turn will increase the load on medical and social systems worldwide. There is thus a desperate need for successful preventive and therapeutic measures based on randomized clinical trials (RTCs) conducted by independent organizations. This book provides a compendium relating most of the principles of reliable RTCs to specific neurological diseases. Contributed by specialized neurologists, the articles touch on important aspects of RCTs with a clear critical approach, highlighting their limitations as well as giving recommendations for their planning and conducting to address the variable genotypic and phenotypic aspects of neurological conditions. Consideration is also given to combining the clinical impact of the study results with patients’ values and the interests of pharmaceutical companies. Neurologists involved in clinical trials will certainly benefit from this book, which should become a basic text for all neurological courses dealing with evidence-based neurology.

Comprehensive book that suggests ways to improve the efficiency of clinical trials and the development of interventions in the neurosciences.

This invaluable handbook for clinicians reviews the epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of all major diseases of the nervous system.

Mental, neurological, and substance use disorders are common, highly disabling, and associated with significant premature mortality. The impact of these disorders on the social and economic well-being of individuals, families, and societies is large, growing, and underestimated. Despite this burden, these disorders have been systematically neglected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, with pitifully small contributions to scaling up cost-effective prevention and treatment strategies. Systematically compiling the substantial existing knowledge to address this inequity is the central goal of this volume. This evidence-base can help policy makers in resource-constrained settings as they prioritize programs and interventions to address these disorders.

This text covers the neurologic areas where trials have become increasingly important, including stroke, epilepsy, head and spinal cord injuries, and movement disorders. By applying the clinical evidence gained from the trials to neurologic practice, clinicians will be better positioned to meet the needs of their patients. * A practical approach to assist neurologists and neurologists in training in the understanding of clinical trials for neurologic disorders * Authors have assembled a distinguished international group of contributors to critically evaluate trials that have been conducted in their areas of expertise * Ideal book for practitioners interested in evidence-based neurologic practice