Many medical conditions can cause changes to your thinking. Some common conditions include epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and genetic disorders. Every medical condition impacts the brain in a slightly different way, causing an identifiable “pattern” of performance that can be measured through neuropsychological evaluation. However, without formal evaluation, it can be difficult to determine what the cause of those changes is and whether they are permanent or temporary and modifiable. A neuropsychological evaluation can help identify a person’s strengths and challenges, allowing us to develop a care plan using your strengths to compensate for areas that you struggle with. For other people, serial evaluations can help determine the extent of improvement or decline over time as a result of treatment.
When cognitive testing is conducted, your scores are adjusted based on your demographics (e.g., race, gender, age, etc.) and then compared to a group of people with similar demographic characteristics. This allows the neuropsychologist to determine whether your performance is consistent with expectations, based on your background, or whether there are areas that suggest a significant change in your thinking. Neuropsychology is not an exact science, but a good neuropsychologist relies on both objective data (e.g., test scores) and their clinical judgment to make the best conclusions about their patient.
Ultimately, neuropsychological evaluation can help you and your loved ones better understand how your brain works, and what kind of support you may need to attain an optimal level of functioning. Evaluation may help your providers create a treatment plan, or it may give your loved ones peace of mind to know that your brain is healthy.
Please see the following resources for additional information about various medical conditions:
Multiple Sclerosis: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
Parkinson’s disease: https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons
Epilepsy/Seizures: https://www.epilepsy.com/
Brain Tumors: https://www.abta.org/
Stroke: https://thestrokefoundation.org/