Description
Advanced Neurological Assessment
PACE and CE Broker Approved
Instructor: James Demetrious, DC, DABCO
- Cost: $250 – 10 CE Hours
- Date: December 5-6, 2026
- Time: 9 AM -2:00 PM EST
- Where: Live Interactive Zoom Conference for “In Person” Credit
Course Description
- This live, interactive 10 CE-hour Zoom course provides an evidence-informed approach to recognizing and assessing complex neurological disorders encountered in chiropractic practice. The program includes three hours on traumatic brain injury, three hours on neurodegeneration associated with intracranial hypertension, and four hours on cervical artery dissection. Through clinical cases, imaging findings, differential diagnosis, and interactive discussion, participants will strengthen their ability to identify red flags, make appropriate clinical recommendations, initiate timely referrals, and improve patient safety.
Traumatic Brain Injury — 3 CE Hours
- Hour 1: Mechanisms and Classification of Traumatic Brain Injury
- Injury biomechanics, concussion, mild TBI, traumatic axonal injury, contusion, and intracranial hemorrhage
- Primary versus secondary brain injury
- Risk factors for prolonged or complicated recovery
- Hour 2: Clinical Assessment and Differential Diagnosis
- History, neurological examination, symptom inventories, balance testing, and cognitive screening
- Recognition of cervical, vestibular, visual, and autonomic involvement
- Red flags requiring emergency evaluation or advanced imaging
- Hour 3: Imaging, Management, and Return-to-Activity Recommendations
- Appropriate use and limitations of CT, conventional MRI, SWI, DWI, and DTI
- Return-to-learn, return-to-work, and graduated return-to-sport decision-making
Intracranial Hypertension and Neurodegeneration — 3 CE Hours
- Hour 4: Intracranial Pressure and Craniospinal CSF Hydrodynamics
- Normal intracranial pressure regulation and cerebrospinal fluid circulation
- Causes of intracranial hypertension and impaired craniospinal CSF flow
- Potential effects of venous congestion and CSF outflow impedance
- Hour 5: Clinical and Imaging Recognition
- Headache patterns, pulsatile tinnitus, visual disturbances, papilledema, and neurological findings
- MRI and MRV findings associated with intracranial hypertension
- Differential diagnosis and identification of secondary causes
- Hour 6: Neurodegenerative Consequences and Clinical Recommendations
- Potential relationships among sustained intracranial hypertension, impaired glymphatic clearance, neuroinflammation, and neural injury
- Limits of current evidence and avoidance of unsupported causal conclusions
- Referral, co-management, imaging, and patient-safety recommendations
Cervical Artery Dissection — 4 CE Hours
- Hour 7: Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, and Risk Factors
- Carotid and vertebral artery anatomy
- Mechanisms and natural history of cervical artery dissection
- Constitutional, vascular, environmental, and mechanical risk factors
- Hour 8: Clinical Presentation and Differential Diagnosis
- Recognition of dissection-related headache and neck pain
- Posterior and anterior circulation ischemic symptoms
- Distinguishing evolving dissection from common musculoskeletal presentations
- Hour 9: Chiropractic Assessment and Emergency Response
- Focused history, neurological examination, cranial nerve assessment, and vascular red flags
- Limitations of provocative positional and premanipulative testing
- When to stop care, activate emergency services, and recommend CTA or MRI/MRA
- Hour 10: Clinical Cases, Risk Management, and Standard of Care
- Interactive analysis of challenging cervical artery dissection presentations
- Documentation, informed consent, referral, and interprofessional communication
- Evidence-informed recommendations for safe clinical decision-making and malpractice-risk reduction
- Evidence-informed recommendations for activity, referral, and collaborative care
Learning Objectives:
- Differentiate the clinical presentations of traumatic brain injury, intracranial hypertension, neurodegenerative disorders, and cervical artery dissection.
- Perform focused neurological assessments to identify red flags and findings requiring urgent evaluation or emergency referral.
- Select appropriate imaging recommendations—including CT, MRI, MRA, MRV, and CTA—based on the suspected neurological or vascular disorder.
- Develop evidence-informed management, referral, co-management, and return-to-activity recommendations that prioritize patient safety.
- Apply clinical reasoning, documentation, informed-consent, and interprofessional communication principles to complex case-based scenarios.
Instructor: James Demetrious, DC, DABCO
Dr. James Demetrious is a nationally distinguished, board certified chiropractic orthopedist. He is a clinician, educator, author, and editor. Dr. Demetrious teaches post-graduate coursework on behalf of Northeast College of Health Sciences. He is an independent member of the NCMIC Speakers’ Bureau and teaches post-graduate coursework throughout the United States. He has published peer-reviewed journal papers related to advanced differential diagnosis. Dr. Demetrious cared for patients for 40 years.
Note: PostGradDC coursework may qualify for license-renewal credit in approved PACE states. Please confirm acceptance with your state licensing board before registering.
