HELSINGIN JA UUDENMAAN SAIRAANHOITOPIIRI
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Education and research
Our department is the largest academic neurology unit in Finland, which is not only responsible for education of medical students and neurology residents at the University of Helsinki but also provides extensive educational programs for students in neuropsychology, speech therapy, occupational therapy, social work, and for nurses specialising in neurological care.
The Department of Neurology is world renowned for its research in cerebrovascular diseases and has played a leader role in worldwide studies that have defined the role of carotid artery surgery in stroke prevention and of thrombolytic therapy in the treatment of acute brain infarction.
The department is contributing to understanding the relationship between aging and cerebrovascular diseases in the development of dementia, as well as to understanding the pathophysiology involved in the process that causes the progress of an asymptomatic carotid stenosis to a symptomatic one.
The department has extensions in the Neuroscience Programme of the neighbouring Biomedicum-Helsinki. Studies in the program of molecular genetics have led to the localisation of seven predisposing genes. In three genomic regions the predisposing gene is situated close to its identifier. The program of mitochondrial dysfunction and its role in neuro-degeneration is one of the strengths of the department.
The basic research facilities of the department including a 4.7 T functional MRI for experimental research are located in Biomedicum. In addition, the researchers have access to a 306-channel whole-head magnetometer, which enables non-invasive studies of electro-magnetic brain dynamics.
The Department of Neurology is the HUCH district's leading research and training centre in the field. The main lines of study of the Department of Neurology are cerebral ischaemia, migraine, movement disorders, memory disorders, neuro-genetics and muscular diseases. We aim at developing medical science as well as nursing practice on the basis of our research results.