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Dr. Jonathan Fratkin Associate Professor and Director Phone: (601) 984-1885 Fax: (601) 984-1531 |
Neuropathology is the study of central and peripheral nervous system disease. Residents who are assigned to neuropathology and medical students who elect a rotation spend time in diverse activities. Brains removed at autopsy are later studied at Gross Neuropathology Conference, held once a week. An understanding of the pathologic states of the human nervous system requires that we have a thorough knowledge of the normal state. We cover normal gross anatomy as well as carefully describing abnormalities of the brain.
When we are not in the autopsy suite, we devote considerable effort to peering through the microscope at biopsies. Tissues that we process for microscopic analysis include brain tumors, muscle biopsies, and nerve biopsies. Some infectious diseases cause localized brain swelling and may simulate brain tumors, so we must be able to differentiate the non-malignant lesions from the malignant ones.
Teaching residents and medical students is another part of the neuropathologist job.
The variety of specimens, from infants to adults, from the straightforward to the complex, makes the rotation in Neuropathology a learning event that will benefit you in whatever field you attain: family medicine, internal medicine, or the specialties of neurologic medicine. The diversity of your Neuropathology experience will be rich and rewarding.