Experimental Methods In Neuropsychology

The present volume aims at presenting a selection of new methods and techniques that may have value for clinical neuropsychology. There is an increasing interest among clinical neuropsychologists regarding new developments in cognitive neuroscience and experimental psychology. This book presents an updated view of recent methodological developments in experimental psychology and clinical neuroscience.

This volume is the translated and updated version of the second edition of Manuale di Neuropsicologia (Zanichelli, 1996), by the same authors, and it reflects the current status of the art.

This unique sourcebook describes the research methods used to study human brain function and brain-behavior relationships. These range from relatively simple approaches, such as dichotic listening and tachistoscopic presentation, to computerized techniques such as cerebral blood flow measurements. The description of each method covers the underlying theory, variations on the basic paradigm, dependent measures, reliability and validity, and the equipment required. The authors also critically review research with normal and clinical populations. Because of the rapid expansion of the field of human neuropsychology--and accompanying technological advances--this volume will be valued as much by experienced researchers as by newcomers seeking an introduction to the variety of available procedures.

The domain of neuroscience has had one of the most explosive growths in recent decades: within this development there has been a remarkable and renewed interest in the study of the relations between behaviour and the central nervous system. Part of this new attention is connected with the contribution of new technologies (PET, fMRI) permitting more precise mapping of neural structures responsible for cognitive functions and the development of new theoretical models of mental activities. The diffusion of new pathologies (for example the pattern of cognitive impairment associated with AIDS) has further enlarged the field of clinical neuropsychology. Finally there has been an expanding clinical interest in the understanding and management of age-related cognitive changes. This volume is the translated and updated version of the second edition of Manuale di Neuropsicologia (Zanichelli, 1996), by the same authors, and it reflects the current status of the art. It is intended to blend clinical and theoretical aspects of neuropsychology. The first part discusses the instrumental and clinical methods of investigation in neuropsychology, together with their development. A long section is dedicated to the language and memory disorders. The impairment of non-verbal cognitve functions, such as the disorders of space orientation, of of visuo-perceptive abilities, and of the emotions and attention, are extensively discussed. The pattern of degenerative dementias is thorougly described, as e is thoroughly described, as well as a number of new topics, such as a neuropsychological approach to consciousness. Finally, perspectives for treatment of some cognitive disorders are outlined.

This book has been written to meet several needs. Firstly there is a need for a book which integrates statistics, research design, ex periments and report writing so that none is learned in a vacuum, as commonly is the case, isolated from the others. The aim is to make the student an active learner encouraged to carry out experiments, so ex periencing and understanding the design problems and statistical analyses in the practical context where he can see exactly what he is doing and why. The aim is that by the end of the book, the student should be able to evaluate the research of others, to define a problem, formulate a hypothesis about it, design and carry out the experiment, apply the correct statistics, discuss the results and implications, and write it all up in a logical and sensible fashion. The principle is that old pedagogic one of learning by doing. Secondly, there is a need for an introductory text on statistics, research design and experimental work for the many students who meet psychology and social science for the first time. The initiate in behavioural science needs to gain a conceptual understanding of statistical procedures and design techniques in order to carry out his own investigations and to understand and evaluate constructively the investigations of others. However, experience has shown us that many students (and even some fellow teachers) are somewhat reluctant to study this area as they believe it is difficult and involves mathematics.

Efforts to relate neuroscience and anatomy with ethology and psychology have involved an ever widening group of scientists from diverse backgrounds and it has become increasingly evident that interaction is harder to arrange. This book is offered as a first attempt to address some of these interdisciplinary problems. First, it aims to provide a critical evaluation of some of the principal methods used by neuropsychologists in research and assessment. Second, it provides short evaluations of the methods which they use to shed further light on brain dysfunction. In this way it is hoped that it offers a further insight into this multidisciplinary field.

This book describes appropriate statistical models that are commonly utilized in neuropsychology. The book discusses such issues as developing normative data for neuropsychological measures, assessing the validity of neuropsychological tests, and quantifying change “over time” through longitudinal analyses. The rationale for and allure of the volume is the fact that there are no publications that dovetail the two subdisciplines of applied statistics and neuropsychology. The overall objective of this book is to provide a pragmatic and concrete source for applying methodological and statistical techniques in research studies whose emphasis includes neuropsychology. Since there are a plethora of technique to arrive at similar answers, each method with its strengths and weaknesses will be delineated. The beauty of the book will be that it will hopefully demystify commonly encountered issues faced with researchers. More specifically, it will provide a “how to do it” approach.

This book is a practical resource designed for clinicians, researchers, and advanced students who wish to learn about single-case research designs. It covers the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of single-case designs, as well as their practical application in the clinical and research neurorehabilitation setting. The book briefly traces the history of single-case experimental designs (SCEDs); outlines important considerations in understanding and planning a scientifically rigorous single-case study, including internal and external validity; describes prototypical single-case designs (withdrawal-reversal designs and the medical N-of-1 trial, multiple-baseline designs, alternating-treatments designs, and changing-criterion designs) and required features to meet evidence standards, threats to internal validity, and strategies to address them; addresses data evaluation, covering visual analysis of graphed data, statistical techniques, and clinical significance; and provides a practical ten-step procedure for implementing single-case methods. Each chapter includes detailed illustrative examples from the neurorehabilitation literature. Novel features include: A focus on the neurorehabilitation setting, which is particularly suitable for single-case designs because of the complex and often unique presentation of many patients/clients. A practical approach to the planning, implementation, data analysis, and reporting of single-case designs. An appendix providing a detailed summary of many recently published SCEDs in representative domains in the neurorehabilitation field, covering basic and instrumental activities of daily living, challenging behaviours, disorders of communication and cognition, mood and emotional functions, and motor-sensory disabilities. It is valuable reading for clinicians and researchers in several disciplines working in rehabilitation, including clinical and neuropsychology, education, language and speech pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. It is also an essential resource for advanced students in these fields who need a textbook for specialised courses on research methodology and use of single-case design in applied clinical and research settings.