The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms among patients presenting to a neurologist is high, up to 50%, indicating that they may be a manifestation of many neurological disorders.

An important aspect of the co-occurrence of psychiatric and neurological disorders is the impact of psychopathological symptoms on the treatment and diagnosis of the patient. Cooperation with the patient in such situations is difficult.

Disorders of consciousness

Disorders of consciousness are one of the most common psychiatric disorders in medical practice, including neurological disorders. They arise as a result of a metabolic deficiency of the brain. Dehydration, hypoxia, fever, neuroinfections, traumatic brain injuries and strokes most often lead to this condition.
Typical manifestations of disorders of consciousnesso include:

• disorientation;
• disorders of thinking and memory;
• hallucinations and delusions
• anxiety;
• sleep disturbances.

The management of disorders of consciousness includes the implementation of causal and general treatment, which is an important part of therapy, especially in terms of hydration, the establishment of adequate electrolyte and glucose levels, and the treatment of concomitant infections.

Depressive disorders

Pathological mood disorders occur in most neurological diseases, especially those with a chronic course. In patients with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, depression is diagnosed in 50 per cent of patients, while in the course of epilepsy it can affect up to 75 per cent of patients.
In addition to lowered mood, increased irritability, emotional vacillation, apathy and withdrawal are observed.

Treatment includes therapy with antidepressants.

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Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders accompany patients in post-stroke, epilepsy, post-traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease and proliferative diseases within the brain.

Post-stroke anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders in post-stroke patients are observed in 9-28%. The form of these disorders most often involves generalised anxiety or is in the form of simple phobia. Post-stroke anxiety symptoms do not tend to subside, which may be indicative of an 'organic' basis.