Neuropsychological Assessment

Neuropsychology is the study of brain-behavior relationships and how those relationships impact critical daily life functions. A neuropsychological evaluation is frequently requested to provide a comprehensive assessment when an individual has experienced a complex medical/neurologic condition that affects cognitive functioning, learning, and/or behavior. A neurological evaluation can be particularly helpful to understand the functional impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion, seizures/epilepsy, birth complications, and ADHD.  

Parents have frequently commented that the information provided by a neuropsychological evaluation was like “being provided with a unique fingerprint of their child’s brain” or “looking inside the black box that is their child’s brain.”  The detailed information provided regarding processing strengths and deficits can help parents and patients understand long-standing challenges in new ways that help them move forward. Strategies and accommodations to address referral challenges are specifically tailored to brain-behavior findings from the testing. 

The specific test battery formulated is tailored to each individual’s unique medical and developmental history, as well as presenting referral concerns. For this reason, the neuropsychological assessment process begins with a clinical interview and history-taking session, with review of all applicable medical, treatment intervention, and educational records.  

While each assessment battery is tailored to specific referral concerns, a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation typically will assess the following domains:

Cognitive-Intellectual Functioning
Attention / Concentration &  Executive Functioning
Memory Functioning (auditory-verbal and visual)
Working Memory & Processing Speed
Visual-Spatial-Motor Functioning
Language Functioning
New Learning Proficiency (auditory-verbal, visual-motor, visual-nonmotor)
Social-Emotional and Behavioral Functioning

 

In some cases, academic achievement testing (assessment of reading, math, written expression) is appropriately added to the neuropsychological evaluation battery to better understand a student’s learning challenges and to access appropriate school-based services.  

After the evaluation is completed, the neurologist will discuss the findings with the parents and provide a written report with recommendations.