Memory disorders

Alzheimer’s screenings are very important when other diagnostic tools provide unclear results.  Very often, depression will mimic the symptoms of dementia and other memory disorders.  Comprehensive yet abbreviated batteries are most often the standard assessment for these types of disorders.  These tend to last 3 to 4 hours.

Learning disabilities

Learning disabilities can range from mild to severe, in terms of their level of impairment.  Most often, full comprehensive batteries of tests (about 8 hours) are required in order to understand the nuance of difference between academic learning and intelligence, or between verbal and nonverbal domains, the hallmarks of a learning disability.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Initial evaluation or a medication-challenge trial of ADHD can often be a comprehensive battery (8 hours) but may be abbreviated if it is for a particular purpose, such as demonstrating a need for leniency in test-taking settings.  ADHD is an underdiagnosed illness, despite the fact that there are many people who are misdiagnosed with the disease.  Performance-based tests and interviews help to ascertain the actual nature of each patient’s specific manifestation of ADHD—and this can be particularly compelling during a medication challenge trial (testing a patient once on medication and once without).

Other cognitive difficulties (stroke, trauma, epilepsy, tumors,  psychiatric illness, occupational problems)

As the battery of neuropsychological tests in use are very comprehensive in scope, they can be tailored to a comprehensive battery or a domain-specific battery, depending on the presenting illness.  Often the scope of this testing will be determined by your referring neurologist or psychiatrist.

Neuropsychological Assessment

and Monitoring

adding apples to oranges