Neuropsychology

What is neuropsychology?

Neuropsychology is focused primarily on understanding how a person’s brain and related systems affect their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning.

As described below, neuropsychological assessment is often used to help diagnose neurological and psychological disorders and conceptualize people’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses.

However, this is only part of what is called the biopsychosocial model which understands that people are influenced by biological factors (such as brain functioning, genetic factors, and biological health factors), social factors (such as culture, family, and social support), and psychological factors (such as mental health, religious or spiritual beliefs, values, and personality).

Thrive Neuropsychology & Psychology works to conceptualize each client within their unique biopsychosocial framework.

It is important for us to understand each person as an individual, not just to understand and diagnose a disease or disorder a person may have.

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Neuropsychological Assessment can aid in the following:

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• Diagnosis of neurological and psychological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Lewy body disease, etc.

• Understanding a person’s level of cognitive functioning, cognitive strengths, and cognitive weaknesses following a brain injury, stroke, tumor, or other disease or disorder

• Providing recommendations for rehabilitation, treatment, and lifestyle modifications

• Evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for cognitive or psychological disorders

• Evaluating the rate of a person’s disease progression, which can assist people with understanding disease prognosis and planning for the future

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Psychological Assessment can aid in the following:

• Helping to understand the ‘psychological’ portion of the biopsychosocial conceptualization, and is helpful in understanding a person before they enter psychotherapy so that they receive the most effective psychological treatments.

• Used to understand a person’s personality characteristics, psychological influences on their behaviors and thoughts, and whether they have symptoms or meet diagnostic criteria for any psychological disorders.

• Can give a person insight into their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

• Can help diagnose psychological disorders, suggest which treatment(s) may be most helpful for an individual, and monitor whether treatments are effective in reducing symptoms or helping a person overcome a disorder.

• Can be part of neuropsychological assessment, and can be used to help understand the emotional and behavioral consequences of brain diseases or to differentiate between a neurological versus a psychological disorder.