Neuropathology is knowledge of diseases of the brain and nervous system by laboratory and microscopic study of tissue samples. A neuropathologist specializes in diagnosing nervous system and neuromuscular system disorders. This pathology specialist can also act as a consultant to neurologists and neurosurgeons. Diseases of the nervous system are divided into two basic types: congenital (diseases that appear over a period of time) and degenerative (diseases that involve the vascular system or the metabolism, are toxic, or are the result of trauma or inflammation).

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. The United States has 388 practicing neuropathologists. Broken out by state, neuropathology doctor density in Alabama is 11, in Arizona is 5, in Arkansas is 6, in California is 50, in Colorado is 1, in Connecticut is 8, in Delaware is 1, in District of Columbia is 6, in Florida is 30, in Georgia is 8, in Hawaii is 3, in Idaho is 1, in Illinois is 17, in Indiana is 3, in Iowa is 5, in Kansas is 2, in Kentucky is 8, in Louisiana is 6, in Maine is 14, in Maryland is 9, in Massachusetts is 29, in Michigan is 13, in Minnesota is 6, in Mississippi is 7, in Missouri is 15, in Montana is 1, in Nebraska is 4, in New Hampshire is 3, in New Jersey is 10, in New Mexico is 4, in New York is 66, in North Carolina is 21, in Ohio is 14, in Oklahoma is 3, in Oregon is 3, in Pennsylvania is 23, in Rhode Island is 6, in South Carolina is 3, in Tennessee is 10, in Texas is 32, in Utah is 6, in Vermont is 1, in Virginia is 11, in Washington is 12, in West Virginia is 5, and in Wisconsin is 12.