What types of patients does a neurologist treat?

As a board-certified neurologist (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology), Dr. Barratt has expertise in treating patients with the following conditions of the nervous system:

  • Stroke

  • Seizures/Epilepsy

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

  • Neuropathy

  • Myasthenia gravis

  • Headache

  • Back pain

  • Neck pain

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease

Biologically, Alzheimer's disease is defined by the presence of amyloid beta plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. 

Amyloid beta plaques form because a normal cellular protein (amyloid precursor protein) breaks down into toxic forms.  The amyloid beta clumps into plaques outside of the cells and interferes with neuron-to-neuron communication.  Amyloid beta can also enter neurons and interfere with normal cellular processes.   

Tau is a protein normally present within neurons.  In Alzheimer’s disease, Tau loses its ability to stabilize the structure of the neurons and forms neurofibrillary tangles.  This leads to neuronal cell death.