Neuropsychological Services
Our faculty
What is adult clinical neuropsychology?
The adult neuropsychology service at National Jewish is designed to provide assessment of brain function in patients with pulmonary and immune disease. In addition, the service obtains outpatient referrals from University Hospital and other community sources to evaluate patients with primary neurological disorders and other medical disorders that may impact brain function.
Why should I consider a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation provides valuable information regarding the functional implications of medical/neurologic injury. This complements the information about the structural integrity of the brain obtained from CT and MRI studies.
For what disorders is a Neuropsychological Evaluation recommended?
At National Jewish, clinical neuropsychological evaluations for the following disorders are frequently requested.
- Neurological disorders (e.g., dementia, epilepsy, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis)
- Traumatic brain injury (e.g., head injury from motor vehicle accidents, sports concussions)
- Pulmonary disorders (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, sarcoidosis)
- Immune and Autoimmune disorders (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic fatigue syndrome)
- Pre- to post- surgical conditions (e.g., kidney transplants, coronary artery bypass graft surgery)
- Sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome)
- Toxic exposures (e.g., carbon monoxide,lead, occupational exposures)
What skills does a Neuropsychological Evaluation test?
Neuropsychological procedures may vary in length and are tailored to answer specific questions. They typically incorporate measures of cognitive and behavioral function such as:
- Intellectual/academic functioning
- Attention
- Memory
- Problem solving
- Language
- Visuospatial abilities
- Sensory motor functioning
- Emotional adjustment/personality
- Motivation and effort
How can a Neuropsychological Evaluation help me?
Results from the evaluation can facilitate patient management by:
- Assessing presence and nature of cognitive impairment
- Providing differential diagnosis
- Determining a baseline that allows for comparison over time
- Explaining the functional impact of brain dysfunction on every day life
- Recommending appropriate treatment
- Provide assessment and recommendations for disability and medical legal evaluations.
A comprehensive written report with recommendations will be sent to the referring provider after the patient completes the evaluation. Verbal feedback to the patient and/or to the referring provider is also available.
Learn more about our research in adult neuropsychology.
This information has been approved by Dr. Elizabeth Kozora (January, 2005).
