[Cinema and neurology: early educational applications].

Introduction: Since its earliest days, cinema has been used in the teaching of neurology both to illustrate the professor's explanations and to make learning easier for students.

Aim: To analyse some of the first applications of cinema to the teaching and learning of neurology.

Development: Shortly after the birth of the film projector it became apparent that it could be a valuable aid in teaching medicine, and especially neurology. Initially, actual recordings made by doctors themselves were used, and later documentaries, short films and feature films were employed as means of showing diagnostic and therapeutic methods, as well as different pathological signs, such as movement disorders. The intention was not to replace other methodologies but instead to complement them and to make the process of acquiring knowledge easier.

Conclusions: Applying cinema in teaching is a useful way to portray the contents of different subjects, especially in the field of neurology, and to favour the acquisition of both specific and cross-disciplinary competences, with very positive results being obtained among students.