WHAT IS CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY?

Neuropsychology is a specialty area within the field of psychology which focuses on the understanding of the effects of the brain on behavior, thinking and emotion.

Clinical Neuropsychologists are trained to evaluate and understand the effects of injuries to the brain or illnesses of the brain on one's ability to think, learn and remember, behave and cope emotionally. 

• Such trauma may occur after an automobile accident, in which the individual may have sustained a concussion, and/or lost consciousness for a time.  As well, many of our servicemen and women are returning from overseas military action with similar injuries due to falls, sound waves from blasts, and related problems.

• Neurological (of the brain) illnesses and medical conditions  include cerebro-vascular accidents, such as strokes, cerebral aneurysms, and arterio-venous malformations; seizure disorders; tumors; and progressive dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease. 

• Neuropsychologists also help with  understanding the effects on cognition (thinking, learning and remembering) and behavior from other immune system related illnesses, such as Lyme disease or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

•   Persons with educational or learning difficulties, such as adults who think they may have an Attention Deficit Disorder, often also may benefit from a neuropsychological evaluation.

In many of these cases, the individual who suffers the neurologic trauma or illness may be finding that she or he cannot think as quickly, remember or learn new things as easily, recall where s/he put things, or deal with day to day life as easily as before the incident. 

Some such problems are called cognitive deficits, the word cognitive meaning thinking-related.  Other problems may seem more related to changes in the individual's personality or emotional functioning, which can also occur due to brain injury or illness. 

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All information on this page written by and all rights reserved by Howard Mangel, EdD.  Please do not use this information for uses other than your own education.