Neuropsychological Assessment

This is an assessment of an individual’s cognitive functioning. Using pen and paper exercises, it provides a measure of how the brain is thinking and usually includes assessments of attention, memory, language skills, executive functioning and visual-perceptual ability.

Normal brain functioning may be disrupted by a variety of causes such as head injury, viral infection, stroke, dementia or other forms of neurological disease. The assessment measures changes that may have occurred as a result of injury and considers what these changes could mean for you. Neuropsychological assessment can be used to:

• Identify personal strengths and relative weaknesses arising as a consequence of injury
• Devise rehabilitation programs based on strengths and weaknesses
• Provide advice and recommendations on strategies and techniques to manage or compensate for particular difficulties
• Provide recommendations with regards to returning to work, college or driving. This can involve liaison with your employer or university tutor if you feel this would be useful
• Provide education and knowledge of how the brain is working and how and why brain injury may be affecting thinking skills
• Assess for the presence of mild cognitive impairment, dementia and other neurological conditions
• Provide a baseline of current cognitive ability. This can provide an objective measure of current function in order to objectively measure improvement or decline over time
• Identify emotional distress or other psychological causes of memory impairment
• Determine whether memory or other cognitive difficulties are in accordance with normal ageing

Following the session, you will be provided with a confidential report which may include recommendations, advice, signposting to charitable/voluntary/NHS services and diagnostic conclusions, depending on the purpose of the assessment.