Neuropsychiatry Case Studies

This book comprises succinct, accessible clinical cases in neuropsychiatry. Each clinical case has a specific and practical learning point, concerned with assessment, diagnosis, treatment or general approach. Each case models clinical reasoning and shows how the 'puzzle' in the case changed the future practice of the author. Neuropsychiatry Case Studies is divided into sections relating to specific areas of neuropsychiatry, including dementias, movement disorders, autoimmune encephalopathies and epilepsy, amongst others. This book is aimed at trainee doctors in neurology and psychiatry and will also be of interest to fully trained doctors, nurses, psychologists and other allied health professionals working in this area.​

In clinical neuropsychiatry, case studies provide invaluable demonstrations of the range and types of unusual psychological states that can occur after brain damage. In the pursuit of objectivity and scientific respectability, however, many academic reports of neuropsychiatric disorders appear cold, contrived and impersonal. The essence and character of the patient's experience and behaviour is easily obscured or even lost - a fact that cannot help researchers, therapists and other practitioners to relate their conceptual knowledge to the flesh-and-blood people they meet in their professional lives. In practice, much of the actual discourse of such patients has been ignored as unworthy of scientific interest. This book describes real patients in a clear and jargon-free way. These cases should serve to reduce the discrepancy between the formal representations of psychiatric illness in the mainstream literature and the reality of people struggling to make sense of their own predicament in everyday life.

In the recent literature, the most influential case study books in neuropsychology are in the adult realm. Pediatric neuropsychology is a rapidly developing field with increasingly greater influence in the assessment, diagnosis, early identification, and treatment of childhood illnesses. This book will provide the first centralized, comprehensive resource for case studies in pediatric neuropsychology. Not only will this supply a valuable compilation for the growing numbers of professionals in this field, but will also serve as an innovative and appealing resource for therapists, teachers, and others interested in child development. This book will be structured in such a way that readers can easily access individual cases of interest, as well as related areas of dysfunction. Section breakdowns will be provided in order to highlight the combined focus of case presentations in acquired neuropsychological dysfunction as well as developmental disorders. Each section will begin with an introductory chapter, highlighting the salient feature of the concept and providing brief, up to date reviews of the current research and theories. Within each global section, individual case studies will serve as stand-alone chapters. Contributing authors will be provided extensive guidance and coaching with regards to the standard format and information to be included in each chapter. The first section of this book will present cases involving neurological disorders. The intention of this section is to provide not only “classic” examples of neurological dysfunction in children, but also to provide interesting cases of unique or remarkable presentations. The second section will present an accumulation of cases representing both common and progressive conceptualizations of developmental disabilities. Section three has been designed to highlight cases which often present complex issues to neuropsychologists. The case examples in this section will highlight the use of alternative treatments, pathologies that are often a source of inquiry, and situations that lack the more rigorous scientific data often utilized in other diagnostic procedures. Additionally, this section may include chapters on common differential diagnosis dilemmas in clinical practice. Often multifaceted and even contradictory evidence can arise during evaluations, resulting in complex or problematic situations for the clinician. Such examples are difficult, by their nature, to forecast, but rather would be added during the book’s development, as they occur.

In the recent literature, the most influential case study books in neuropsychology are in the adult realm. Pediatric neuropsychology is a rapidly developing field with increasingly greater influence in the assessment, diagnosis, early identification, and treatment of childhood illnesses. This book will provide the first centralized, comprehensive resource for case studies in pediatric neuropsychology. Not only will this supply a valuable compilation for the growing numbers of professionals in this field, but will also serve as an innovative and appealing resource for therapists, teachers, and others interested in child development. This book will be structured in such a way that readers can easily access individual cases of interest, as well as related areas of dysfunction. Section breakdowns will be provided in order to highlight the combined focus of case presentations in acquired neuropsychological dysfunction as well as developmental disorders. Each section will begin with an introductory chapter, highlighting the salient feature of the concept and providing brief, up to date reviews of the current research and theories. Within each global section, individual case studies will serve as stand-alone chapters. Contributing authors will be provided extensive guidance and coaching with regards to the standard format and information to be included in each chapter. The first section of this book will present cases involving neurological disorders. The intention of this section is to provide not only “classic” examples of neurological dysfunction in children, but also to provide interesting cases of unique or remarkable presentations. The second section will present an accumulation of cases representing both common and progressive conceptualizations of developmental disabilities. Section three has been designed to highlight cases which often present complex issues to neuropsychologists. The case examples in this section will highlight the use of alternative treatments, pathologies that are often a source of inquiry, and situations that lack the more rigorous scientific data often utilized in other diagnostic procedures. Additionally, this section may include chapters on common differential diagnosis dilemmas in clinical practice. Often multifaceted and even contradictory evidence can arise during evaluations, resulting in complex or problematic situations for the clinician. Such examples are difficult, by their nature, to forecast, but rather would be added during the book’s development, as they occur.

After a discussion of current theory and research findings relating to rehabilitation of brain injury, this book presents 20 case studies of adults with severe brain injuries sustained several years earlier. The causes of their brain damage include traumatic head injuries, encephalitis, stroke and hypoxia. Problems that follow such injuries including loss of self-care skills, memory impairment, language, reading, visuoperceptual and behavioural difficulities, are analysed in detail. The book describes the premorbid lifestyle of each of the 20 individuals, the onset of their brain damage, subsequent symptoms, neuropsychological assessment, rehabilitation, and long-term outcome. Most chapters include a report by the patient and/or family member, thus providing an extra dimension that helps to increase the reader's understanding of the predicaments faced by brain-injured individuals as they learn to cope with traumatic changes in lifestyle. Although improvement for most brain-injured people is slow and limited, all those described in this book made some progress after their admission to rehabilitation services. The exhaustive analysis of each case and step-by-step description of treatment will encourage professionals and other care-givers that much can be done for this severely injured group. For students of neuropsychology and rehabilitation, the book should serve as an inspiring and informative supplementary text.

Casebook of Neuropsychiatry provides a fascinating tour of the critical subspecialty of neuropsychiatry, which combines neurology and psychiatry to address organic disturbances in the central nervous system that give rise to mental diseases. The book is comprised of 11 chapters, with subjects ranging from apathy to hyperkinetic states, and from depression to psychobehavioral disinhibition. The chapters are further divided into 38 cases, each of which takes the reader from clinical presentation through differential diagnosis and diagnostic workup, to current treatment options. Although the book is written in an engaging, narrative style, it has a strong, thoroughly up-to-date scientific foundation. Each case is placed in the appropriate neurobiological context, thus enhancing both the reader's clinical skills and his or her neuropsychiatric knowledge. The book's many beneficial features include: Complete coverage of the neurological diseases and treatments, including detailed material on the behavioral affiliations of the frontal, temporal and parietal cortices; limbic system; and basal ganglia; Charts, illustrations, and imaging, which allow the reader access to all the diagnostic and medical historical documentation necessary to fully understand each case; "Key Clinical Points" provided at the end of each chapter, which focus the reader's attention on the most important facts and strategies; and Suggested readings, which afford readers the opportunity to deepen and enhance their knowledge and understanding. By grounding the field of neuropsychiatry in real-life clinical problems, the editors have created an engaging and practical volume that allows psychiatrists, neurologists, residents, and others to update their knowledge of current neuropsychiatric thinking, sharpen their diagnostic skills, and fully appreciate the nuance and substance of this rapidly growing field.

The Neuropsychology Casebook was developed to fill the existing gap in the cur rent body of literature on clinical neuropsychology. Although texts are available that describe neuropsychological tests and others provide information on syn dromes, this volume provides descriptions of neuropsychological test perform ance for individuals with various syndromes. It was designed to illustrate the process of clinical interpretation of test findings and report writing for the individual case. Our aims are to provide both the student and practicing profes sional with a collection of actual neuropsychological case studies that typify many of the cardinal disorders or syndromes frequently seen by practicing clini cal neuropsychologists. We have not provided an exhaustive survey of case studies representing many of the disorders commonly seen in neuropsychology; rather, we have focused on a few select cases that illustrate some of the more common disorders. This book includes detailed case reports complete with referral questions, historical information, relevant neuroradiological findings, actual neuropsycho logical test data, and clinical interpretations that take into account all available information on the patient. The cases are discussed in the chapter commentaries with reference to how each compares and contrasts with the prototypic case for that disorder or syndrome. Such case studies help to highlight the various types of behavioral and cognitive sequelae associated with common clinical disorders. The case studies, which are examined through an hypothesis-testing approach, are also aimed at demonstrating how neuropsychological principles and methods are applied.

Casebook of Clinical Neuropsychology features actual clinical neuropsychological cases drawn from leading experts' files. Each chapter represents a different case completed by a different expert. Cases cover the lifespan from child, to adult, to geriatric, and the types of cases will represent a broad spectrum of prototypical cases of well-known and well-documented disorders as well as some rarer disorders. Chapter authors were specifically chosen for their expertise with particular disorders. When a practitioner is going to see a child or an adult with "X" problem, they can turn to the "case" and find up to date critical information to help them understand the issues related to the diagnosis, a brief synopsis of the literature, the patient's symptom presentation, the evaluation including neuropsychological test results and other results from consultants, along with treatments and recommendations. Clinical cases represent a long-established tradition as a teaching vehicle in the clinical sciences, most prominently in medicine and psychology. Case studies provide the student with actual clinical material - data in the form of observations of the patient, examination/test data, relevant history, and related test results - all of which must be integrated into a diagnostic conclusion and ultimately provide the patient with appropriate recommendations. Critical to this educational/heuristic process is the opportunity for the reader to view the thought processes of the clinician that resulted in the conclusions and recommendations offered. With the science of the disorder as the foundation of this process, readers learn how the integration of multiple sources of data furthers critical thinking skills.