The Department of Neurology offers research opportunities in various fields at both the basic science and clinical levels. Clinical trials of new agents for epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease and brain tumors enroll large numbers of patients. The department sponsors travel for its faculty, nursing staff, laboratory personnel, and Neurology residents to attend medical meetings where they present their research findings.

The Department of Neurology is currently involved in research concerning:

• Cerebrovascular Disease,
• Memory Disorders and Aging,
• Epilepsy,
• Demyelinating Diseases,
• Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders,
• Neuro-oncology, and
• Neuropsychology.

The Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics (CNET), located in the Civitan International Research Center, was established February 2, 2007 to promote the discovery of novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, to teach scientists and clinicians about these diseases, and to facilitate the application of these discoveries to clinical care of patients.

Specialized procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging, MR spectroscopy, nerve and muscle histopathology, intra-operative electrophysiological monitoring, computerized EEG analysis, brain electrical activity mapping, cerebrovascular ultrasonography, transcranial doppler sonography, and cerebral blood flow measurements by Xenon inhalation and by single photon emission CT (SPECT scanning) are available. Neurology's residents are encouraged to obtain technical expertise in cerebrovascular ultrasound in a recently opened neurosonology laboratory as well as in neuroimaging and neuro-interventional procedures.

Neurology research programs are located in Tinsley Harrison Towers, the Birmingham VA Medical Center, and the Sparks Neurosciences Center. The Civitan International Research Center, which opened in July 1992, contains the Neurobiology research laboratories.