If you have noticed a change in your ability to concentrate or make decisions, a neuropsychological evaluation may be able to help shed light on what is causing this confusion. A neuropsychological evaluation consists of a series of tests that are designed to find the correlation between the health of your brain and your behavior and thinking skills. Here’s what happens during a neuropsychological evaluation:
Your symptoms and past medical history will be discussed in detail. This will give the neuropsychologist an idea of the kind of challenges you face and will guide the type of testing that should be performed to diagnose your condition.
The various types of neuropsychological tests include:
- Attention tests such as quickly matching numbers and symbols or showing what has changed between two images.
- Memory tests such as memorizing and repeating a list of numbers, words, or sentences.
- Cognition tests such as problem-solving or explaining the similarities between 2 things.
- Verbal communication ability such as naming objects that are pointed out or listing out words that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet.
- Motor tests that include walking, coordination, or inserting pegs into a pegboard
- Hearing and vision tests to see how these senses affect your memory and ability to think.
Most tests can be conducted on a computer or by using a pen and paper. The testing may take 3-6 hours, and you will have breaks in between. In some cases, you may be required to have more than one session.
No preparation is needed for the tests other than getting a good night’s sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and informing your doctor of any medications that you are on.
After the tests are completed, your neuropsychologist will discuss the results with you. The results of your neuropsychological evaluation will become part of your medical record and help your doctor in better understanding your condition and formulating a personalized treatment plan to improve your overall health and wellbeing.
The American Center for Psychiatry & Neurology is a premier medical facility focusing on providing you with the highest quality primary and specialized medical care and health education services. By combining compassion with experience, we are committed to providing quality, comprehensive healthcare services within a friendly and comfortable environment. For all appointments & inquiries, please call 800 ACPN (2276).
Dr. Emad Farrag
Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Abu Dhabi