The narrative in neurology and psychiatry

The narrative has a long tradition in psychiatry and neurology. Its functions have evolved more recently from classical description and clinical education to healing and remediation, and there has been an explosion of literature on narratives by sufferers of individuals with brain disorders.

The narrative has many functions in neurology, psychiatry and neuropsychiatry. These disciplines began due to powerful clinical narratives, and the clinical description continues to draw upon the power of the patients' stories. The narrative has also emerged as an important tool to educate the public about brain disorders and normal brain function. It is increasingly being used by individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders to narrate their biographies, and healing remains an attempt to reconstruct broken narratives, both by physicians and by patients themselves. If the 20th century saw a psychologization of society, the neurological narrative now appears to be taking centre-stage.

The narrative has had a powerful presence in the history of neurology and psychiatry and continues to shape the disciplines as we witness an increasing neurologization of society.