Week Seven - Neuropsychology Flashcards
What areas of psychology are neuropsychologists trained in?
Psychology, Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Neurology, Medicine, Neurochemistry, Psychoanalysis
What are ‘executive functions’?
Cognitive functions assessed by a neuropsychologist - higher order functions of the frontal cortex - involve planning, problem solving, thinking, decision making
What is required for APS membership?
Undergraduate degree with a major in psychology plus honours degree or equivalent, postgraduate degree
What is neuropsychology?
The study of how the brain controls the way we think, act and feel
Why are clinical neuropsychological assessments performed?
Assist with medical diagnosis and subsequent treatment; pre/post treatment; determine capacity/competency; rehabilitation/therapy advice; medicolwegal evaluation
‘We interpret test results in terms of an assumed change in cognitive function’. Give an example.
I was never good at maths; I’ve always had a bad memory; he now gets lost in the shopping centre we’ve been going to for years.
Difference between reliability and validity?
Reliability; the consistency of a test when performed over and over again - do we get the same result?
Validity; measures things that are supposed to be measured - giving the correct test to the correct group
What are the ten ethical pitfalls outlined by Smith (2000)?
Understanding what constitutes a multiple relationship; protect confidentiality; respect peoples autonomy; know your supervisory responsibilities; identify your client and role; Document!; practice only where you have expertise; know the difference between abandonment and termination; stick to the evidence; be accurate in billing
What is the MMSE?
Mini-mental state examinations OR Holstein Test - 30 point questionnaire to measure cognitive impairment.
Give an example of the type of questions asked during an MMSE.
Can you really the words I asked you to remember? Apple, penny, table (Memory)
What advantages does neurosurgery with awake patients confer?
Which brain regions are being stimulated.
