What is a Neuropsychologist?
Clinical neuropsychology is a specialty profession that focuses on brain functions and includes the assessment, diagnosis and remediation of conditions affecting the central nervous system. This involves comprehensive assessment of brain function with standardized tests and clinical procedures.
Clinical neuropsychologists can enhance diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and educational and vocational planning. Neuropsychological consultation is especially valuable as an objective measure of pre- and posttreatment functioning and in the detection and early diagnosis of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative conditions.
Conditions treated
Neuropsychological services at Firelands Regional Medical Center provide consultation and evaluation to inpatients and outpatients ages 18 years and older (adolescents are approved on a case-by-case basis) with a broad range of conditions, including:
- Acquired brain injury (stroke, TBI, CNS infection, encephalopathy, anoxia, etc.)
- Concussions
- Epilepsy
- Memory disorders and neurodegenerative disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
Reasons for referral
Common reasons for referral include:
- Ruling out dementia instead of pseudodementia
- Evaluating cognitive impairment following head injury, stroke or other cerebral accident
- Providing baseline information to track cognitive change over time (e.g., to monitor recovery from injury or deterioration with MS or dementia)
- Establishing or confirming a diagnosis
- Establishing baseline or pretreatment cognitive functioning and post-treatment reviews (e.g., epilepsy surgery or pre-lumbar drain or shunting for normal-pressure hydrocephalus, etc.)
- Assisting with the determination of functional limitations associated with cerebral dysfunction (e.g., house keeping, driving, ability to benefit from therapy, necessary level of supervision or independence)
- Assessing decision-making capacity
- Worker’s compensation related to cerebral dysfunction
