The Neuropsychology Center provides comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and consultation. The Neuropsychology Center employs the most scientifically-validated neuropsychological test battery currently available for the assessment of brain-behavior function in adults and children.

What is Neuropsychological Assessment?

Neuropsychological assessment is a systematic clinical diagnostic procedure used to determine cognitive and behavioral function related to brain disorder. Such assessments are helpful for patients having, or suspected of having, various brain disorders that result in problems with memory, intellectual and cognitive functioning, daily activities, or behavior and emotions.

Neuropsychological assessment is helpful in determining the patient's cognitive and behavioral strengths and weaknesses related to neurological dysfunction. It can provide information on the relative contribution of neurologic and psychiatric factors in a patient's presenting problems.

Information is provided that can contribute to decisions about differential diagnosis, prognosis, rehabilitation potential, return to work, ability to function independently, specialized school placement, and forensic issues.

Neuropsychological assessment is valuable in understanding the neurobehavioral effects of conditions such as:

Dementia (Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease)

Traumatic brain injury

Cerebrovascular disorder (strokes, aneurysms, arterioveneous malformations)

Diabetes

Hypertension

Brain tumor

Alcoholism

Toxic/Metabolic disorder or other encephalopathy

Epilepsy

Developmental and learning disability

Other neurological disorders

Comprehensive Neuropsychological Assessment

The Neuropsychology Center utilizes a standard neuropsychological battery approach for the assessment of brain-related function. The test battery employed is the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery and allied procedures. This battery of tests provides a comprehensive evaluation of an individual's brain-behavior function in order to determine problems in neurocognitive function. This evaluation helps specify a patient's cognitive strengths and weaknesses related to neurological dysfunction, determine differential contributions of neurologic and psychiatric factors in a patient's presenting problems, and contribute to decisions regarding current and future independent function. In addition, the results can be directly integrated into a comprehensive neurocognitive remediation program.

The evaluation involves the comprehensive assessment of higher cognitive skills, intelligence, academic abilities, problem-solving skills, abstraction, memory, visual-motor skills and related abilities. Sensorimotor functioning and psychological/emotional status are also assessed.

A typical clinical neuropsychological evaluation provided by The Neuropsychology Center involves 2 days of outpatient testing. The evaluation includes a review of medical records and clinical history, direct one-on-one testing of the patient’s abilities and function, followed by interpretation of the test data and preparation of a written report. Then, each patient receives a feedback session where results of the tests are given and recommendations are made. We also coordinate with the patient’s other healthcare providers, as needed.

The Neuropsychology Center provides comprehensive neuropsychological assessments to both the adult and child populations. The faculty at The Neuropsychology Center have extensive experience with various neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, head injury, Parkinson’s Disease, brain tumor, epilepsy, toxic injuries, developmental and learning disabilities, and other neurological disorders.