Neurology is the study of disorders of the nervous system. A neurologist is a physician who diagnoses and treats nervous system disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. This specialist deals with problems related to brain disease, disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves, and the blood vessels that provide circulation to these organs. A neurologist also treats specific diseases such as Bell’s palsy, cerebellar ataxia and meningitis.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are stroke, Guillain-Barré syndrome, brain tumor, migraine, meningitis, seizure, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, coma, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, cluster headache, ischemic stroke, encephalitis, encephalopathy, botulism, chorea, Lou Gehrig's disease, and ataxia.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Electroconvulsive therapy and Electroencephalogram (EEG).

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including CAT Scan of the Brain, CT Scan of the Brain, MRI Scan of the Brain, MRI Scan of the Spine, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Myelogram, Spinal Tap, Lumbar Puncture (LP), Electromyography (EMG), Myelography, Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan), Spinal Puncture, Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV), Electroencephalography, Cerebral Angiogram, Electronystagmography (ENG), Ocular Pressures, CSF Collection, and Myogram.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Iowa has 112 practicing neurologists. Broken out by city, neurology doctor density in Ames is 6, in Anamosa is 1, in Audubon is 1, in Boone is 4, in Carroll is 2, in Cascade is 1, in Cedar Rapids is 11, in Clarinda is 1, in Clinton is 1, in Clive is 1, in Council Bluffs is 2, in De Witt is 1, in Des Moines is 17, in Dubuque is 5, in Elkader is 1, in Fairfield is 1, in Fort Madison is 2, in Glenwood is 1, in Grinnell is 1, in Guthrie Center is 1, in Guttenberg is 2, in Harlan is 1, in Iowa City is 52, in Iowa Falls is 2, in Keokuk is 1, in Marshalltown is 1, in Mason City is 3, in Mount Pleasant is 1, in Newton is 1, in Onawa is 2, in Ottumwa is 2, in Pella is 1, in Red Oak is 1, in Sioux City is 4, in Spirit Lake is 1, in Tabor is 1, in Toledo is 1, in Waterloo is 3, in West Burlington is 3, and in Winterset is 1.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.