Neuropsychological evaluation is an assessment of how one’s brain functions, which indirectly yields information about the structural and functional integrity of your brain. The neuropsychological testing involves an interview and the administration of tests. The tests are typically pencil and paper type tests. They may also be done on a computer.
What’s on These Tests?
These tests help your doctors look at your attention span and how well you concentrate on things. Other areas covered by neuropsychological testing include:
- Your ability to think, understand, learn, and remember (cognition)
- Memory
- Motor function (walking, coordination, etc.)
- Perception (how well you take in what you see or read)
- Problem-solving and decision-making
- Verbal ability
Here are some examples of the kinds of tests you might be given:
Memory test: Repeat a list of words, sentences, or numbers.
Cognition test: Explain how two items are like. For instance, if you see a picture of a dog and a cat, you might answer that they’re both animals or that they are both pets.
Verbal communication test: Name some items as the person giving the test points at them. You might also be given a letter of the alphabet and told to list words that start with that letter.
Motor tests: These might include tasks such as inserting pegs into a pegboard using one hand and then the other.
You might also be given tests to see how your hearing and vision affect your thinking and memory.
When do you need testing?
You usually take a neurological test when you have a noticeable change in your thinking or memory. They help doctors figure out whether your problems are caused by any of the following:
- Disease, such as Alzheimer’s
- Brain injury
- Emotional disorders, such as depression or anxiety
- Normal brain changes related to getting older
It is especially important for doctors to find out about thinking problems in cases where the patient has a movement disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease. This is a condition that affects the brain cells that control movement and coordination.
Once the tests are done, the neuropsychologist will go over the results and write a report. It will include a diagnosis and suggestions for treatment if any is needed.
Treatment
The treatment plan could include more medical tests, such as a CT or MRI scan of your brain. This is helpful in looking for tumors or other diseases. If you’re ever told you should undergo neuropsychological testing, understand that the tests are meant to get a picture of your brain health at this moment. Your thinking skills may get worse, or they may improve.
Representation for Traumatic Brain Injuries
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