Describe some of the widely
used neuropsychological tests
What is neuropsychology?
Neuropsychology is a specialty field that joins the medical
fields of neurology, psychology and psychiatry. Neuropsychology involves
determining how well the brain is working when it is disrupted by a brain
injury or psychological disorder. A neuropsychological assessment is a
comprehensive test of a wide range of mental functions including behavior.
What mental functions are assessed in a neuropsychological
exam?
If you are undergoing a neuropsychological assessment, the
mental functions tested include:
- General intellect.
- Reading/reading comprehension.
- Language usage and understanding of what others say.
- Attention/concentration.
- Processing speed.
- Learning and memory.
- Reasoning.
Executive functions, which are higher-level skills you use to
organize and plan, manage your time, problem solve, multi-task, make judgments
and maintain self-control.
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Describe
some of the widely used neuropsychological tests
- Visuospatial skills.
- Motor speed and dexterity.
- Mood and personality.
- Why has a neuropsychological assessment been requested?
A neuropsychological assessment can be requested for a number
of reasons including:
To help with diagnosis: Test results are sometimes used to
help understand the cause of problems with your thinking and understanding. For
example, test results might be used to determine if your cognitive (mental)
changes are due to normal aging, a neurological illness, depression, anxiety or
other causes. Your healthcare provider can then use the results of your
neuropsychological examination along with the results of other tests, such as
brain scans, EEGs, and blood tests, to arrive at a diagnosis that will help to
guide your healthcare.
To determine cognitive strengths and weaknesses: In some
cases, a healthcare provider may order tests if you’ve had a known neurological
event or injury, such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury, to find which
cognitive functions have changed and how much they have changed.
Describe
some of the widely used neuropsychological tests
To establish a baseline: In some instances, an exam is
performed before and after a medical or surgical treatment to determine if
cognitive abilities were affected by the intervention. Re-examination at some
point after the baseline can also demonstrate how well you’re recovering from a
stroke or traumatic brain injury and whether or not you’re ready to return to
work, resume driving or take on other duties.
To help plan a treatment or other intervention: Test results
can be used to identify which cognitive abilities should be the focus of
rehabilitation if you’ve had a brain injury. Results also help therapists
determine which strengths might be able to compensate for weaknesses. The
evaluation can provide the basis for making decisions and/or adjustments to
school or work schedules and determine the skills to work on that are most
important to you.
How will I know if my cognitive abilities have changed if I
have not had an exam in the past?
Some cognitive abilities tend to be very stable despite
neurologic illnesses or injuries. Those abilities often provide an estimate of
the level of your other cognitive abilities if no injury or illness had
occurred. Your results will be compared to the pattern of results associated
with various illnesses or injuries to help determine if changes have occurred.
What common complaints might signal the need for a neuropsychological
test?
See your healthcare professional for a referral for a
neuropsychological assessment if you or a loved one show any of the following
signs:
Changes in short-term memory, asks the same question
repeatedly.
Describe
some of the widely used neuropsychological tests
- Frequently loses items, gets lost easily.
- Confusion.
- Poor attention and concentration. Doesn’t appear to listen. Gets confused in conversation.
- Language difficulty. Has difficulty speaking or finding words or cannot understand what others say.
- Can’t recognize things.
- Visuospatial difficulties including difficulty drawing or using a map.
- Poor judgment/decision-making.
- An unexplained change in personality, increase in anxiety or depression, development of delusions or hallucinations.
- New difficulty with understanding or managing bills or finances.
- Can’t recognize familiar persons.
- What does a neuropsychological exam involve?
The neuropsychologist will talk with you to understand any
concerns you and your family members might have about your cognitive (mental)
functioning. He or she will also review your medical and psychological history
and educational background. If a family member comes to the evaluation with
you, the neuropsychologist may ask for your permission to interview him or her
as well.
Describe
some of the widely used neuropsychological tests
You will also complete questionnaires about mood and
psychological symptoms. Parents of children referred for neuropsychological
examinations often complete questionnaires about their child’s behavior.
Finally, the neuropsychologist writes a report that
summarizes the results and includes recommendations for improving cognition
(e.g., attention, memory) and possibly referrals to other professionals.
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IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:-
1) Discuss the neuropsychological assessment of older children. What are all the aspects to be considered?
2) Elucidate the general principles of neuropsychological assessment of older children.
3) What is meant by behavioural observations? What aspects need to be covered here?
4) What are the various psychological tests to be used in assessment?
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