neuropsychology Flashcards
neuropsychology is:
the analysis of handicaps of higher cognitive functions deriving from brain damage
aim is to achieve an understanding of the relationship between brain and behaviour
what are the objectives of each assessment in neuropsychological testing?
detection of neuropsychological deficits
monitoring changes
identification of specific deficits
what should a comprehensive neuropsychological test do/ comprise of?
include tests that evaluate localised and distributed functions
in case of focal lesions: a comprehensive test is used to establish extend of the damage and where is still spared
to establish whether a patient is suffering from global cognitive decline
Ie in patients with suspicion of dementia
list three cognitive functions
language: comprehension, articulation, prosody, semantic
memory: short term, long term, retrograde, anterograde, episodic, semantic, procedural, implic, working memory
attention: automatic, focused, sustained
neuropsychological tests can either be:
standardised tests
or
prepated ad hoc
when available: standardised tests should be used, as they allow for comparison between data from a single patient
what tests can be used to test executive function?
tower of london test
stroop test
the wisconsin card sorting test
iowa gambling task
name a test that can be used to test visuospatial memory and visuoconstructive abilities?
corsi supra-span learning test
name two tests that can be used to test visuperceptual abilities and implicit memory
gollin imcomplete figure test:
recognition of an object that is incomplete
hidden figure test
what test/examination can be used to test spontaneous speech, object naming, action naming and sentence construction?
the boston diagnostic aphasia examination
ie the cookie theft picture
what can the boston diagnostic aphasia examination be used to test?
spontaneous speech
object naming
sentence construction
what test can assess verbal comprehension?
token test
what possible deficits may arise from damage in visual areas?
cerebral acromatopsia
akinetopsia
visual agnosia
alexia
prosopagnosia
what is balint syndrome?
a type of movement disorder
results in deficits in visual control of movements: ef pouring a liquid substance in a glass
occurs where there is parietal damage.
what is ideative apraxia
inability to form the correct movements for a task:
ie show me how you would open a door with a key: patient presents a finger
show me how you would brush your teeth
wrong gesture
what do patients with visuospatial neglect do when asked to bisect a line?
they draw a line much further to the side which they still have attention
often 1/4 away from furthest side of attention.
