Comprehensive evaluations of cognitive and behavioral dimensions of brain functioning are conducted before and after neurosurgeries, including epilepsy surgery, pallidotomies, and thalamotomies. These evaluations help to localize and quantify brain dysfunction, and are an integral part of the surgical management of epilepsy and movement disorders. Neuropsychological evaluations also assist in the diagnosis of a variety of neurologic conditions, and are provided on a consultative basis to all of the other centers organized under the Neurosciences Department, to other services in the hospital, and to outpatients. Forensic neuropsychological evaluations and expert witness testimony are also provided in cases of traumatic brain injury litigation and other forensic cases. Neuropsychological testing is performed to assess the cognitive and behavioral manifestations of brain dysfunction.
Neuropsychological evaluations can help identify areas of focal brain dysfunction.
Determine the severity of brain dysfunction Most neuropsychological tests are normed on a reference group of people without neurologic disease. The scores of an individual patient may thus be examined for the degree of deviation from normal. The results of neuropsychological testing do not completely predict everyday functioning, but can help identify potential problems areas as well as particular talents or strengths. This information is useful for understanding a patient's ability to cooperate with care, making treatment and vocational recommendations, and planning cognitive remediation. Quantifying cortical functioning is also helpful in tracking patients' progress over time and observing patterns of improvement or decline that help to guide treatment and intervention.