Neurology Topics on the ABPN Psychiatry Board Exam

Last updated on October 3rd, 2024

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There are two questions I get asked related to neurology disorders on the ABPN psychiatry board exam:

• Are the neurocognitive disorders included in the neurological disorders category?
• What should I study when studying the neurological disorders on my psychiatry exam?

Neurocognitive Vs. Neurological Disorders On ABPN Psychiatry Exam

First clarification: the neurocognitive disorders topic on the ABPN psychiatry exams includes major and mild neurocognitive disorders (or dementias) and delirium.

Next: on the ABPN psychiatry exams, the category of neurocognitive disorders is its own exam topic and is not folded into the neurological disorders topic. This is likely done this way because neurocognitive disorders are a category of disorders in the DSM-5. Each DSM-5 disorder category is its own topic on APBN exams, and neurocognitive disorders fall in the purview of psychiatry practice.

These are the percentages of coverage of neurocognitive disorders and of neurological disorders on psychiatry exams that include these topics.

Which Neurological Disorders are Tested on ABPN Psychiatry Exams?

This is both easy and hard to answer. It is easy because the ABPN provides a detailed list of neurological disorders or categories of disorders that are assessed on each exam. (They are listed below for the Psychiatry Certification Exam.) But the answer is hard to answer from a practical standpoint. This is because the list of neurological disorders includes virtually all

neurology. The very inclusiveness and length of the list detracts from its ability to help focus the exam candidate’s study efforts. The dilemma with which ABPN confronts exam candidates is that neurology is a large and difficult field of medicine while only accounting for a small percentage of questions on psychiatry board exams.

ABPN Psychiatry Certification Exam Neurological Disorders List

• Infections of the nervous system
• Vascular diseases
• Disorders of cerebrospinal and brain fluids
• Neuro-oncology
• Trauma
• Birth injuries and developmental abnormalities
• Genetic diseases of recognized biochemical abnormality
• Cerebral degenerations of childhood
• Cranial nerve disorders
• Peripheral neuropathies
• Ataxias
• Headache
• Movement disorders
• Spinal cord diseases
• Neuromuscular junction disorders
• Myopathies
• Demyelinating diseases
• Epilepsy and episodic disorders
• Neurologic complications of systemic diseases
• Neurotoxicology
• Pain syndromes
• Other

Advice on How to Narrow One’s Review of Neurological Disorders

The first important tip comes from the Beat The Boards! neurology faculty member Dr. Matthew McCoyd. He tells us that the ABPN is more likely to test a psychiatrist’s ability to recognize neurological disorders, especially those presenting emergently or urgently, rather than how to treat them. (The converse is true for psychiatry questions on neurology exams.)

The second tip is from me: the ABPN is more likely to test psychiatrists on central nervous system disorders as opposed to peripheral nervous system disorders, although the latter category is represented to some degree on psychiatry exams.

And the last pointer on what to focus on is based on the topics that Dr. McCoyd has chosen to highlight in his 3-hour Neurology Review presentation for the Beat The Boards! Certification and Continuing Certification Exam courses.

Dr. Matthew McCoyd’s Neurology Review Agenda at the Beat the Boards! Courses

• Approach to Neurology
• Vascular Diseases
• Facial Weakness: Stroke vs. Bell’s Palsy (Vascular Diseases vs. Cranial Nerve Disorders)
• Facial Weakness & Eye Movement Abnormalities: Stroke vs. Bell’s Palsy (Vascular Diseases vs. Cranial Nerve Disorders)
• Transient Ischemic Attacks (Vascular Diseases)
• Multiple Sclerosis & Optic Neuritis (Demyelinating Diseases)
• Neuro-Oncology
• Head Injury
• Parkinsonism
• Epilepsy & Episodic Disorders
• CNS Infections
• Headaches

I’ll end with a broader tip. Neurology disorders should not be your primary focus on ABPN Psychiatry exams. Five percent on average (4-6%) of the exam is less than several psychiatric topics on the psychiatry exams. Go where the questions are (the Doc Sutton Rule). For example, on the Psychiatry Certification Exam, there are 6 topics that are associated with more exam questions than the topic of neurologic disorders and an additional 2 psychiatry topics that are equal to neurological disorders.

Only once you have established a firm understanding of these larger and easier-to-understand topics (since they are in the field of psychiatry), should you focus on neurology. When you do so, focus on the larger topics within neurology: vascular diseases, epilepsy, Parkinsonism, and headaches.

If you have questions or comments, email me at drjack@ americanphysician.com. Thanks and take care.

Yours In Exam Success,

Jack Krasuski, MD

Executive Director

American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies