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Neuropsychological Assessment

Have you recently been diagnosed with a mental disorder? Perhaps it was caused by physiological changes. People that have Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or even those that suffer from ADHD may actually find themselves needing to be psychologically assessed.

Neuropsychological testing is done for those that are suffering from conditions where they are not able to focus any longer. They may have memory loss, or trouble recognizing people that they know, all caused by neurological changes. Here’s what you need to know about what is neuropsychological assessment and how it can help you resolve some of these issues.

Neuropsychological Disorders

A neuropsychological disorder is one that can impair not only the functionality of the brain, but also motor skills. They can also change the way that people function on a daily basis. They may notice that their behaviors have changed, and that their cognitive abilities have been greatly impaired, making it difficult for them to do their job or even function with her family.

The diagnosis and treatment of these conditions can be done by doctors that are able to run what are called neuropsychological assessments. These series of tests will be able to help determine what exactly is going on, allowing the Dr. to make the proper diagnosis and then recommend treatment options.

Conditions That You May Have

There are many conditions that you may have which can lead to neuropsychological problems. Some of these include being susceptible to epileptic seizures, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, or being diagnosed with a brain tumor. People that have HIV-AIDS, or even multiple sclerosis, can end up with these cognitive disorders.

The only way to help people that have these conditions that are suffering in this way is to use testing that is based upon neuropsychology. Here is a quick overview of the origins of neuropsychology, and some of the different tests that must be done in order to properly evaluate people so that they can be treated.

Origins Of Neuropsychology

Although this is a new psychological development, at least in regard to the name and research, people have had these problems for centuries. Neuropsychology is traced back to Egypt, back in a time where they believed that the human brain was actually responsible for the actions that people took. Modern psychology was subsequently developed and experimental neuropsychological tests were made.

They decided to consider how cognitive functionality was related to the nervous system, and subsequently how disease could affect the nervous system leading to problems with the human mind. Clinical neuropsychology is where the assessments are done. You will meet with a psychologist that has a degree in this particular form of medicine. They will be able to not only assess what is wrong, but show you how to manage your condition and even make recommendations on how to go through some type of rehabilitation.

What Is Neuropsychological Assessment?

This is a name that represents a comprehensive series of tests that will help determine cognitive abilities. Based upon the results, they can make a diagnosis as to which condition you may actually be experiencing. It will look at strengths and weaknesses that people have which target many different areas.

They will look at attention and concentration, auditory and visual processing, and verbal and visual memory. Individuals that have Alzheimer’s, for instance, begin to lose their ability to remember. This type of testing will help determine how long the disease has been going on based upon the results from the assessment, and the Dr. will be able to make recommendations on proper treatment options.

The Domains Of The Assessments

The different domains or categories that these assessments are divided up into include intelligence, achievement, language, visual spatial, motor control, memory and learning, and language. It also looks into conditions such as autism, determining how severely autistic a person is, allowing them to understand how they can be helped. Other areas of interest include behavioral, executive functioning, and sensory development analyses. Once the tests have been taken by the individual, the doctor will be able to recommend a series of treatments that may include pharmaceuticals and regular visits to do cognitive exercises that can help.

How Do You Find A Doctor To Help With Neuropsychological Problems?

The best way to find a doctor that will address these issues is to get a referral from your main physician. Most physicians will be able to determine if you have one of these problems are not. Once you have the referral, you will go to this new doctor or psychologist that will be able to do the neuropsychological assessments. You will have to make an appointment, get evaluated, and then schedule different days to come in for the testing. You can always ask the psychologist more questions about what is neuropsychological assessment as you are given each different test.

These conditions are sometimes resolvable. It could be that you are deficient with certain hormones or chemicals within your body. For example, when a person is experiencing depression, they are often given some type of antidepressant medication which is simply a drug that can increase the amount of serotonin in your brain.

This tends to help with cognitive functionality, and also reducing the way that people feel when they are depressed or experiencing anxiety. The same is true for people that have neuropsychological problems. The testing will reveal what the issues are and will help the doctor get them the best treatment. Now that you know what is neuropsychological assessment, you should contact your doctor if you are experiencing any of these problems.

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