Neuropsychological Testing

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Neuropsychological Testing
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Purposes of Neuropsych Testing

• Determination of brain damage
• Localization of brain lesions
• Determination of functional consequences of brain
  injury
• (Educational testing)

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Some Conditions That Cause Neurological Damage

• Head trauma
• Vascular disorders
• Degenerative disorders
• Toxic conditions
• Infections
• Neoplasms
• Anoxia

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Common Cognitive Functions Assessed

• Attention
• Memory
• Visual-spatial abilities
• Psychomotor speed
• Planning/sequencing
• Abstract reasoning
• Language (expressive and receptive)
• Cognitive flexibility
• Lateral differences

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Approaches to Neuropsych Testing

• Standardized batteries
• Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery
• Halstead-Reitan Battery
• Individualized batteries
• Often includes an IQ test
• Specific tests

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Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychogical Battery

• Allows for testing of limits
• Emphasis on optimal performance
• 279 items, across 12 scales
• Produces a coded profile, which is then
  interpreted
• Item analysis within scales

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Halstead-Reitan Battery

• A longer test, more standardized
• Halstead category test
• Tactual test
• Rhythm test
• Speech-sounds perception test
• Finger oscillation test
• (Trail-making test)
• (WAIS and MMPI)

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Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test(Bender Gestalt)

• An older test, frequently used by psychologists
  who are not neuropsychologists
• Serves as a projective as well
• Errors include
• perseveration
• rotation
• distortion of shape
• failure of integration

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Wechsler Memory Scale

• Assesses several kinds of memory fairly quickly
• Subtests
• Information and orientation
• Mental control
• Figural memory
• Logical memory
• Visual paired associates
• Verbal paired associates
• Visual reproduction
• Digit span