ABSTRACT
Inappropriate behaviour or a decreased level of consciousness is a strong indicator of intracranial disease; however, severe systemic disease, such as cardiorespiratory insufficiency, metabolic disease and exposure to exogenous toxins, can also result in secondary effects that produce similar if not identical clinical signs. When combined with other findings of the neurological examination, appropriate localization of neurological disease and formation of an appropriate differential list and diagnostic plan become possible (Table 34).
