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.

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.

Neurosurgical Neuropsychology: The Practical Application of Neuropsychology in the Neurosurgical Practice comprehensively explains the use of neuropsychology in neurosurgical settings. The book covers various preoperative techniques that may benefit neurosurgeons, such as functional neuroimaging (fMRI, SPECT, MEG) for presurgical cognitive mapping, as well as more traditional methods to predict outcomes after surgery, including neurocognitive testing and the Wada procedure. The book's editors discuss why neuropsychologists add considerable value to the neurosurgical team. A wide range of patient populations are covered, ranging from Deep Brain Stimulation candidates for Parkinson’s disease, to adult and pediatric epilepsy candidates and neuro-oncology cases. This book is ideal for neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neuro-oncologists, epileptologists, general neurologists, and others who want to know more about the use of neuropsychology as a tool in the presurgical and postoperative phases of neurosurgery. Comprehensively explains the use of neuropsychology in neurosurgical settings Written for researchers and clinical practitioners, focusing on neurosurgery, neuropsychology, clinical neuroscience and neurology Discusses various techniques that may be of benefit to neurosurgeons, including presurgical and postoperative choices like functional neuroimaging (fMRI, SPECT, MEG) for presurgical cognitive mapping, neurocognitive testing, and the Wada procedure

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 ...

Neuropsychology as a field has been slow to embrace and exploit the potential offered by technology to either make the assessment process more efficient or to develop new capabilities that augment the assessment of cognition. The Role of Technology in Clinical Neuropsychology details current efforts to use technology to enhance cognitive assessment with an emphasis on developing expanded capabilities for clinical assessment. The first sections of the book provide an overview of current approaches to computerized assessment along with newer technologies to assess behavior. The next series of chapters explores the use of novel technologies and approaches in cognitive assessment as they relate to developments in telemedicine, mobile health, and remote monitoring including developing smart environments. While still largely office-based, health care is increasingly moving out of the office with an increased emphasis on connecting patients with providers, and providers with other providers, remotely. Chapters also address the use of technology to enhance cognitive rehabilitation by implementing conceptually-based games to teach cognitive strategies and virtual environments to measure outcomes. Next, the chapters explore the use of virtual reality and scenario-based assessment to capture critical aspects of performance not assessed by traditional means and the implementation of neurobiological metrics to enhance patient assessment. Chapters also address the use of imaging to better define cognitive skills and assessment methods along with the integration of cognitive assessment with imaging to define the functioning of brain networks. The final section of the book discusses the ethical and methodological considerations needed for adopting advanced technologies for neuropsychological assessment. Authored by numerous leading figures in the field of neuropsychology, this volume emphasizes the critical role that virtual environments, neuroimaging, and data analytics will play as clinical neuropsychology moves forward in the future.

Becoming a Neuropsychologist is the first comprehensive resource for students interested in pursuing a career in neuropsychology. Whether you are a student in high school, college, or graduate school, or a professional interested in a career change, this book will serve as your North Star to help you navigate on your journey. To this end, Part I answers the questions, What is Neuropsychology?, Why Neuropsychology?, and Where Do Neuropsychologists Work?, and ends with a discussion of the Challenges of Working in Neuropsychology. In Part II, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to move from where you are to the endpoint of working as a full-fledged neuropsychologist. Specifically, the authors provide concrete advice such as how to obtain adequate research and clinical training, how to apply to graduate school or doctoral internship programs, what criteria postdoctoral fellows need to meet to remain eligible for board certification, what questions to ask on interviews or when looking for your first job, and much more. The book is packed with action steps and advice for maximizing your training and avoiding common pitfalls along the way. "As our field looks to expand diversity and representation in our ranks, my hat is off to John Bellone and Ryan Van Patten for not only extending an invitation to the party but also for providing a map for how to get here. —Kathleen Fuchs, PhD, ABPP “Drs. Bellone and Van Patten have distilled the complexities of neuropsychology career development into an eminently readable and understandable roadmap. —Glenn Smith, PhD, ABPP “An easy, accessible introduction into the field of neuropsychology...The authors’ open and personal accounts of their own journeys toward becoming clinical neuropsychologists read like a fireside chat with a beloved mentor.” —Jenn Davis, PhD, ABPP “Informative, witty, and inspiring. After reading this, I feel re-inspired and excited to be pursuing a career in this field. —Ilex Beltran-Najera, MA

Revised edition of: Neuropsychological evaluation of the child. 2004.