Clinical neuropsychology evaluates and treats brain disorders caused by physiological problems. Objective tests are used to diagnose cognitive and behavioral function, and treatment plans are developed specific to the patient’s needs. The focus is on physical problems within the brain, and treatment options include therapy, medication, surgery, and behavioral modifications.
Clinical neuropsychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on the connection between human behavior and brain anatomy. Physicians in this specialty can evaluate and treat a variety of ailments, including brain injury, dementia, and congenital disorders. A variety of objective tests are used in clinical neuropsychology to evaluate a patient’s cognitive and behavioral function. Once a disorder has been correctly diagnosed, a neuropsychologist can develop a course of treatment specific to the patient’s needs. The focus of clinical neuropsychology is on brain disorders caused by physiological problems rather than those caused by emotional or psychiatric disorders.
While clinical neuropsychology is a branch of psychology, it has a significantly different focus than general psychology. Although emotional or psychiatric disorders treated by clinical neuropsychology may be symptomatically similar to those treated by general psychology, the disorders must have a physiological cause to be treated by a neuropsychologist. These specialists look for physical problems within the patient’s brain to determine the cause and treatment options for various ailments. Diagnosis and treatment of these disorders require in-depth knowledge of brain anatomy.
A variety of tests are used in clinical neuropsychology to determine whether a physiological problem or cognitive disorder is responsible for a patient’s behavior. These tests are most frequently used to determine if there are problems with memory or thinking. They assess the patient’s ability to pay attention, recall information, process information, and manipulate objects. The tests are designed to be objective and compare patient results with results from people with normal brain function. The test can help identify a disorder or damaged brain region and can also be used to assess a patient’s current function, establishing a baseline for determining whether subsequent treatment is effective.
Once an ailment is identified, the doctor can implement a treatment plan. Therapy, medications, surgery, and behavioral modifications can be used in the treatment of neuropsychological disorders. One of the most common disorders treated by clinical neuropsychology is physical damage to the brain. Patients who have been in an accident are often evaluated to determine if there is brain damage and how best to treat it. Elderly patients with Alzheimer’s, stroke, and dementia, and pediatric patients with congenital disorders may also have physical brain damage that can be evaluated and treated.
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