Neuropsychological evaluations utilize specialized knowledge and training in brain-behavior relationships, neuroanatomy, neurological disorders, and the impact of various medical conditions, to evaluate:
- General intellectual abilities
- Motor and sensory functioning
- Attention and processing speed
- Expressive and receptive language abilities
- Visuospatial/perceptual abilities
- Learning & memory
- Executive functions (higher-order thinking abilities, i.e. problem-solving, abstract reasoning, etc.)
- Personality and emotional functioning
In addition to diagnosing and clarifying the current state of cognitive functioning, neuropsychological evaluations can provide:
- a baseline of cognitive functions for future comparison
- guides for rehabilitation efforts and programs
- the determination of cognitive strengths and weaknesses, particularly decision-making capacity in occupational, academic and daily functioning.
Conditions evaluated by neurophysiological testing include:
- Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Brain injuries due to hypoxia, neurotoxicity or substance induced
- Tumors of the brain and surrounding tissues
- Meningitis, encephalitis
- Vascular conditions such as heart attacks, cerebrovascular disease and strokes (cerebrovascular accident)
- Multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders
- Depression or anxiety
- Capacity/competency issues
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder of various types, including ADHD in adults
- Learning disabilities
- Neurological conditions, such as Parkinson disease and Huntington disease
- Medical conditions with possible cognitive involvement such as diabetes
What to expect and how to prepare for a neuropsychological evaluation.
The evaluation consists of a questionnaire that you can fill out in the office, a 1-hour interview with you (and a family member or close friend, if possible), followed on a different day by approximately 6 hours of testing. Prepare for the interview and testing by taking all prescription medications that you usually take, with the exception of those that make you sleepy or drowsy, such as painkillers or anti-anxiety medication. Plan for several hours of testing by eating before the testing appointment. Breaks can be taken during testing for bathroom breaks and/or snacks that you can bring to the office. Bring glasses or hearing aids if you usually wear them.
Testing consists of a variety of written and verbal tasks. Some of the written tasks are done on a computer and some with paper and pencil. They are of varying difficulty and some look like puzzles. You will take the tests with the psychologist who will give you instructions and guide you through the testing. Family members and friends cannot be in the testing room.
After the testing is completed, you will receive a call from the psychologist to set up a feedback session. During this session, the results of the testing will be discussed with you (and a friend or family member if you would like to bring them). You will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the results with the psychologist. The report will be given to you and also given to your referring physician.