What is a neuropsychologist?
A neuropsychologist examines how changes in the brain (via aging, injury, or disease) alter cognition including thinking, language, judgment, ad emotion. They scientifically evaluate the degree of function and create treatment programs for individuals who have experienced dramatic changes in their cognitive (thinking) skills. Over the past forty years special tests have bee developed which carefully measure our ability to think, remember, use language, or perform arithmetic operations. Such tests help a neuropsychologist determine the degree of impairment resulting from an injury (eve mild injury) to the brain. The neuropsychologist works with the physician to diagnose ad treat problems of mood ad behavior.
Once the degree and type of impairment are diagnosed, how does the neuropsychologist assist the patient?
Once the extent of impairment is precisely identified, the neuropsychologist develops a treatment program to help the patient learn how to compensate for the change in function. External memory aids such as detailed daily calendars may help the patient cope with forgetfulness and direct their activities of daily living. The neuropsychologist may aid family members and significant others to understand the patient's change in cognitive function, providing supportive psychotherapy for any disruption in family life.
