On the development of Croatian neurology

The author depicts the roots and the development of modern Croatian neurology. On the ground of cultural and civilizational predispositions it achieved an exceptional development during the last three decades in the period after the World War II. Although clinical neurology may be traced only after the foundation of the first Croatian medical faculty in Zagreb in 1917, until 1971 within the common discipline of neuropsychiatry, a vast medical literature: reports on neurological problems both from literature and from everyday medical praxis were published in Croatian after the foundation of the Croatian medical journal "Lijecnicki vjesnik" in 1877, written by internists or general practitioners interested in neurology. First Croatian textbook in neurology was published by Ivo Glavan already in 1935 and new editions of this book have made it a popular handbook for many generations of medical students and physicians, not only in Croatia but also in other parts of the former Yugoslavia. In the sixties the concept of development of subspecialized disciplines prevailed: clinical neurophysiology, epileptology, neuromuscular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and intensive neurology, child neurology. At that time a fast growing of man-power and institutions started, what made possible a modern concept of early neurologic diagnostics and treatment. The period was marked by intensive collaboration with teams of electrical engineers interested in bio-electronics, development of basic neurosciences, of neuroimaging technologies and neuroscintigraphy. Many initiatives came from Croatia for collaboration with neighbouring countries within the former Yugoslavia, but also with other neighbouring European countries, especially Austria, Italy and Germany, as well as with the American neurology.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)