Neurology is the medical study involving the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscles. Because the nervous system has effects on another organ systems, injury or disorders of the nervous system can have many different effects on the body.

Symptoms of patients may be subtle, such as speech or understanding difficulties, or weakness of limbs, and even seizures. The role of the neurologist is to diagnose the problem accurately and determine the best course of treatment.

Diagnosis often requires specialized testing. This includes tests of function, such as the electroencephalogram (EEG), the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP), the motor evoked potentials (MEP) and electromyography (EMG). And as well as imaging, such as computerized tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance (MRI).

Treatment includes not only the prescription of medications, but also referrals for therapy and rehabilitation.  Neurologists often work with a variety of other health care providers.  Some may be medical doctors, such as internists and othopedists, while others may include chiropractors and physical therapists.  Therapy choices must be based not only on the condition but the patient's preferences.

Psychosomatic medicine focuses on how psychosocial factors affect health and diseases and how psychological interventions can prevent illnesses and promote wellness. In addition to a growing body of clinical studies, recent progress of neuroscience is now enabling deeper understanding of mind/body interactions, leading to scientific strategies to treat psychosomatic diseases.

In the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, the Division of Psychosomatic Medicine is within the Department of Neurology because, in contrast to Western countries, psychosomatic medicine is a subspecialty of internal medicine in Japan. Physicians specializing in psychosomatic medicine are trained as internists and also undergo training on psychosomatic approaches according to the guidelines of Japanese Psychosomatic Association.

Therefore, the Division of Psychosomatic Medicine is mainly concerned with treatment and research on medical conditions affected by psychological factors (DSM IV, 316). Furthermore, this division is involved in mental health and prevention of stress-induced burn out or maladjustment in the workplace.