Functional Neurology for Practitioners of Manual Therapy

Functional Neurology is a new and emerging discipline that utilizes our understanding of how the nervous system works in the treatment of a variety of clinical conditions. Fuctional Neurology for Practitioners of Manual Therapy takes the reader from the embryonic beginnings of the nervous system, through the biochemistry of receptor activation and on to the functional systems of the nervous system.

Both the student and the clinician will find this text a valuable source of information and clinical guidance in the application of detailed neurological principles to their practice. Concepts, relationships and scientific mechanisms of the nervous system function are covered, and this aids the practitioner in developing their clinical approach to a wide variety of patient presentations.

This text explores the neurological impact of the application of functional neurological principles, using a detailed clinical approach, supported by clinical case studies. The text is fully referenced, which allows the reader to immediately apply the concepts to practice situations.

*Focuses on functional neurology with links to conventional neuroscience

* Includes case studies for each chapter that apply the concepts, relationships and scientific mechanisms of nervous system function to everyday practice

* Contains 'quick fact' boxes throughout the text highlighting key learning points

* Fully referenced and evidence-based

* Addresses the scientific validation of the clinical success, as well as the limitations, of the practice of functional neurology

* Explores the neurological impact of functional neurological principles using a detailed clinical approach allowing readers to immediately apply the concepts contained within to practice applications

* Relevant to non-pathological presentations of reduced performance such as the sports person, the foreign language learner, the elderly driver, the competition dancer and the mentally delayed child

* Complete explanations of manipulation techniques and neurological rehabilitation are also included.

Dr Beck is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Diagnosis and Neurology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Murdoch University, Perth, Australia; and Associate Professor, Clinical Neurology at the Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies, Florida, USA. He is also Director of the Institute of Functional Neuroscience, in Perth, Australia.

Dr Beck graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1984 and the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, Canada in 1988. He has subsequently completed a PhD focusing on psycho-neuroimmunology and spent the last 12 years practicing and developing the clinical applications of functional neurology. He has been involved with postgraduate and undergraduate education of chiropractoic and medical students for over 15 years. Dr Beck is married with six children and enjoys a variety of sporting activities and life with his family.