Psychiatric interface with neurology: conflicts and cooperation

The recent interest in biologically oriented psychiatry has opened up new opportunities for collaboration between psychiatry and neurology. Traditionally neurologists emphasized neuronal pathways and lateralizing signs, while psychiatrists' main interest was feeling states and emotions. Increasingly, both specialties are becoming aware of the complexity of the nervous system and the frequency with which neuronal disturbances and psychological conflict interact and influence treatment and outcome. The most important factor in facilitating an increased number of consultations and generating research protocols involves achieving a certain mutuality and complementary role between two disciplines. Traditionally there has been a fair amount of antagonism, primarily because of each specialty's insistence that its vantage point of view was correct. The consultation-liaison psychiatrist is in the ideal position to bring about a rapprochement. To achieve this, it is paramount that the psychiatrist understand and be conversant in the neurologist's language.