Neuropsychological Assessment
Dr. Ildiko Tabori
Neuropsychological Assessment – Clinical Neuropsychology, Diagnostic Neuropsychology, Sport Neuropsychology
A neurological evaluation is a three-pronged approach: an examination by a neurologist, neuro-imaging (e.g., MRI, CT scan), and a neuropsychological evaluation. Together, these components allow a medical professional to make an accurate diagnosis about your current level of cognitive functioning and develop a treatment plan. The neuropsychological evaluation involves testing that is sensitive to problems in brain functioning and examines how well your brain is working when it performs certain functions, like remembering. The types of tests you take depend upon the questions you and your referring doctor have, such as evaluation subsequent to concussion and other sports-related head injuries or evaluation for dementia. The tests assess the following areas: attention and concentration, reasoning and problem-solving, visual-spatial functioning, language functioning, sensory-perceptual functions, motor functions, academic skills, and emotional functioning. The tests are non-invasive, meaning there are no needles, x-rays, or other machines. Most of the tests involve questions-and-answers or working with materials, like blocks, on a table. This evaluation typically lasts about three hours. Once the testing is completed, Dr. Tabori analyzes your test results, writes a report that compares the results to the normative data and makes diagnostic recommendations for treatment.
A neuropsychological evaluation may be helpful if you or a loved one is suffering from memory loss or dementia, if you are trying to determine the presence of learning disabilities, if you are concerned about the effects of concussions or other-related brain injuries, if you have questions about competency, or if you need an evaluation for standardized testing (e.g., GRE, LSAT, MCAT, SAT).