Neuropsych testing

Question 1

Neuropsychology testing is used for:

Answer 1

1 TBI (both open and closed)
2 Electrical abnormalities (seizures, migraines, atypical nerve conduction, MS)
3 Degenerative disorders (parkinsons or alz)
4 Physical abnormalities like CP or hydrocephalus
5 Dx of functional impairment like dyslexia or ADHD
6 Chemical or toxin exposure
7 Metabolic disorders like diabetes or PKU

Question 2

Every neuro exam includes

Answer 2

1 background interview (1 hr) 
2 tests of cognition and psychological function (several hrs) 
3 scores compared to norms
4  diagnostic formulation
5 treatment recommendations
6 repeat testing to document progress

Question 3

Typical eval is how many hours

Answer 3

6 hours including interview, testing, scoring, interpretation, and written report

Question 4

Wechsler adult intelligence scale OR Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WAIS or WISC)

Answer 4

Made up of 11 subtests but you can substitute a test for an alternate test

Question 5

Minimum battery of tests for the WAIS or WISC includes:

Answer 5

1 WAIS or WISC
2 Vocabulary 
3 Block design
4 Digit span
5 Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
6 Boston Naming Test
7 Controlled Oral Word Association Test
8 Brief Visuospatial Memory Test Revised
9 Trailmaking test
10 Grooved Pegboard
11 Multiple Ability Self Report Questionnaire

Question 6

Vocabulary test

Answer 6

Do you know what words mean and can you speak them appropriately
Expressive and receptive aphasia
I tell you a word and you tell me what it means and can you express that to me

Question 7

Expressive and receptive aphasia do not necessarily occur with one another

Answer 7

One part of our brain that does expressive and one that does receptive

Question 8

Block design

Answer 8

Give you blocks and show you a picture and you have to make your blocks look like the picture
Visuospatial processing

Question 9

Digit Span

Answer 9

I read you telephone number and you repeat it, or put in order from 0 to 9, or say it backwards

Question 10

Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)

Answer 10

Memory
Read you a list of words and person repeats them back to you - present it five different times
How long does it take you to get to mastery (3 out of 15 words) - gives idea of persons learning curve

Question 11

Boston Naming Test (BNT)

Answer 11

60 item test - show a picture and the patient has to say what it is - confrontational naming - anxiety interfering with performance
Are you able to find the words - aphasia

Question 12

Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT)

Answer 12

AKA the FAS - Cognitive flexibility, ability to inhibit response, speed of response - give them a letter and they say as many words as they can that start with that letter

Question 13

Brief Visuospatial Memory Test Revised (BVMT-R)

Answer 13

Show you a picture and 3 minutes later they have to draw it out - recognition, memory, and incidental memory too because they don’t know that they were going to need to remember it

Question 14

Trailmaking Test

Answer 14

Make trails between things - good for ADHD
They have to shift from one thing to another rather than just 1-10
Has a shifting component

Question 15

Grooved Pegboard Test

Answer 15

Motor function and problem solving - one hand at a time- shaped pegs that need to go into correct place on board as quickly as they can
Speed of processing, tactile ability, motor function, frontal lobe - do they use strategy

Question 16

Multiple Ability Self Report Questionnaire

Answer 16

Asking if they dress themselves, write their own checks, incontinence - self report of what they are having trouble with - awareness of their own deficits

Question 17

The battery tests cover what domains:

Answer 17

1 Orientation and mental status
2 Intellectual functioning
3 Attention and concentration
4 Language
5 Learning curve 
6 Verbal and visual memory
7 Working memory 
8 Immediate memory
9 Delayed recall memory 
10 Recognition memory
11 Processing speed
12 Academic achievement level 
13 Motor functioning
14 Tests of effort
15 Emotional/personality functioning

Question 18

The battery tests cover what domains: Multiple areas of executive function/Frontal lobe

Answer 18

1 Problem solving
2 Foresight and planning
3 Ability to maintain set
4 Preservation
5 Ability to impose structure on ambiguous stimuli
6 Abstract reasoning both verbally and visually
7 Cognitive and behavioral impulsivity

Question 19

Neuropsychologists can be a resource to help PT what

Answer 19

define and identify ways that cognition and psychological function impact physical functioning

Question 20

It is critical to remember that adjustment to life after neurological change may impact the attitude of the patient and patient expectations

Answer 20

:)