Master neurology for PLAB 1 with 70+ SBA questions covering stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, headache, and all 25+ neurological conditions on the GMC Content Map. Full clinical explanations and NICE guideline summaries included.
Every neurological condition on the GMC PLAB 1 Content Map, with SBA questions, clinical explanations, and NICE guideline references.
Every question includes NICE guideline references. These are the four guidelines most frequently tested in PLAB 1 neurology questions.
Every question maps to a specific condition on the official GMC PLAB 1 Content Map. No irrelevant content.
Every answer option explained — not just why the correct answer is right, but why each distractor is wrong.
Concise NICE guideline summaries for every condition, so you learn the evidence base alongside the questions.
Neurology is a high-yield specialty in PLAB 1, typically accounting for 8–12% of the exam (approximately 14–22 questions out of 180). The GMC Content Map lists over 25 neurological conditions that can appear, including stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and headache disorders.
The highest-yield PLAB 1 neurology topics are: stroke and TIA (ABCD2 score, thrombolysis criteria), epilepsy (first-line AED by seizure type, status epilepticus), headache (migraine vs cluster vs SAH red flags), meningitis (empirical antibiotics, LP interpretation), and Parkinson's disease (first-line treatment). These appear in multiple sittings.
Upper motor neurone (UMN) lesions cause: spasticity, hyperreflexia, upgoing plantar response (Babinski positive), and weakness without wasting. Lower motor neurone (LMN) lesions cause: flaccidity, hyporeflexia, downgoing plantar response, weakness with wasting and fasciculations. Bell's palsy is LMN (affects entire face including forehead); stroke is UMN (spares forehead due to bilateral cortical representation).
The most important NICE guidelines for PLAB 1 neurology are: NG128 (stroke and TIA), NG217 (epilepsy), NG71 (Parkinson's disease), NG150 (headache), NG220 (multiple sclerosis), and NG97 (dementia). You do not need to memorise guideline numbers, but you must know the key management recommendations for each condition.
The most effective approach is: (1) learn the key conditions from the GMC Content Map, (2) practise SBA questions by topic focusing on the 'next best step' rather than diagnosis, (3) master the key scoring tools (ABCD2, ROSIER, MMSE), (4) review NICE guideline summaries for each condition, and (5) practise differentiating UMN vs LMN and central vs peripheral causes of common presentations.