Neuropsychological Assessment

NeuropsychologicalAssessment

What is Neuropsychological Assessment?

Neuropsychological Assessment is an assessment of individual’s cognitive functioning. Neuropsychological Assessment is usually carried out by a clinical psychologist and, in most cases, during the assessment you will take a series of different tests, rather than a single test. An assessment session might last from 2 to 4 hours. The assessment provides a detailed picture of how well your brain functions and what are the specific difficulties within your cognition and emotions.

Why may I need to undergo a neuropsychological assessment?

  • You have or have had in a past a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion or a more severe brain injury.
  • You suspect or have an illness that can damage some of the brain functioning such as stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, AIDS
  • You have a history of substance misuse (alcohol, drugs etc.) that may have affected your brain/cognitive functioning.
  • You have been exposed to poisons, chemicals, or pollution that can cause brain damage
  • You have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Your doctor wants to see how well treatment for one of above illnesses, conditions, or injuries is working.

What are the benefits of Neuropsychological Assessment?

The main purpose of neuropsychological assessment is to identify how the damage sustained to your brain is altering your ability to concentrate, reason, solve problems or remember things. The results of the assessment allow your doctor to decide the most suitable treatment and rehabilitation plan for you. Neuropsychological Assessment can help you find answers to important questions about your future e.g

  • will I need to change my job?
  • would I be able to lead the same lifestyle as before?
  • am I able to live on my own?

Neuropsychological assessment can also be undertaken to monitor the impact of disorder progression, assess the extent of recovery and evaluate the effects of interventions.

If you think that you or member of the family may need to undergo a neuropsychological assessment or require further information please contact us