PSYC3003 Neuropsychology questions with
verified answers
What is neuropsychology? Ans✓✓-Study of brain-behaviour relationships
Brain disorder (injury/disease) -> behavioural changes (cognition/personality)
Borrows and integrates elements of clinical psychology, neurology, cognition,
psychometrics
2 components: neuro+psychology (patient)
Focus on psychology/patient with brain disorder
What is a neuropsychologist? Ans✓✓-Psychologist
Neuropathology: human nervous system, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology
Cognitive psychology: broad cognitive functions, interaction to produce normal
and abnormal behaviour associated with brain disorders
Clinical psychology: interviewing, counselling, test practice, psychiatric symptoms
Role of a neuropsychologist Ans✓✓-Evaluation and diagnosis: neuropsychological
evaluation, brain imaging techniques
Rehabilitation
Teaching
Research
Medicological (expert witness): compensation litigation, diminished criminal
responsibility
Patient populations Ans✓✓-Traumatic head injury
Stroke
,Brain tumours
Dementing conditions
Learning disabilities
Pervasive developmental disorders
Attention deficit disorders
Seizure disorders
Effects of toxic chemicals or chronic substance abuse
What is a neuropsychological evaluation? Ans✓✓-Assessment of behaviour using
standardised tests that are sensitive to brain-behaviour relationships
Quantitative information about the structure and function of the brain and how
that influences behaviour
Multi-dimensional: intelligence, problem solving, memory, language, attention,
perceptual and motor abilities, emotions and personality
When is a neuropsychological evaluation recommended? Ans✓✓-When brain
based impairment is suspected
Types of disorders: traumatic head injury, stroke, learning difficulties, dementing
condition, epilepsy etc.
What does a neuropsychological evaluation involve? Ans✓✓-Variety of tasks
Sitting at a table or bedside in hospital
Non-invasive
6-8 hours face-to-face contact
Single or series of appointments
Based on nature of presenting problem
,Tailored to individual patient needs, abilities and limitations: most comprehensive
information possible
Purpose of a neuropsychological evaluation Ans✓✓-Provide profile on individual
strengths and weaknesses (evaluation, diagnosis, rehabilitation)
Distinguish between organic and non-organic functional limitations (evaluation,
diagnosis)
Document impact of brain dysfunction on individuals life (prognosis)
Monitor progress in rehabilitation (rehabilitation)
Disability determination for forensic and legal purposes (medical/legal role)
Integral approach Ans✓✓-Neuropsychological evaluation results need to be
interpreted in context of other important information
Patients background (personal history, description of illness, medical history,
family history of brain disorder)
Neurologic examination (report)
Neuro-imaging techniques (brain scans)
Psychometric issues Ans✓✓-Standardisation (consistent and uniform
test/conditions)
Test norms (map performance, determine levels)
Reliability (consistency of results)
Validity (construct, concurrent, predictive)
Neuropsychological tests Ans✓✓-Sensitive to indicators of brain damage
Need to pick up potential changes in brain by assessing behaviour
, Test battery Ans✓✓-Number of tests integrated together
Selection believed to provide best snapshot
Multidimensional
Covers wide range of functional areas
Functional areas Ans✓✓-Basic -> complex
Organised how they are mapped onto brain
Lower order functions more easily mapped
High order functions require connections between brain
Orientation
Sensation and perception
Attention
Motor skills
Language
Visual-spatial organisation
Memory
Executive function
Orientation Ans✓✓-Awareness to surrounding world
Person, time, place
Reticular formation: awareness, arousal and orientation
Assessment instrument: Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) -
assesses orientation to person time and place and amnesia (retrograde and
anterograde)
verified answers
What is neuropsychology? Ans✓✓-Study of brain-behaviour relationships
Brain disorder (injury/disease) -> behavioural changes (cognition/personality)
Borrows and integrates elements of clinical psychology, neurology, cognition,
psychometrics
2 components: neuro+psychology (patient)
Focus on psychology/patient with brain disorder
What is a neuropsychologist? Ans✓✓-Psychologist
Neuropathology: human nervous system, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology
Cognitive psychology: broad cognitive functions, interaction to produce normal
and abnormal behaviour associated with brain disorders
Clinical psychology: interviewing, counselling, test practice, psychiatric symptoms
Role of a neuropsychologist Ans✓✓-Evaluation and diagnosis: neuropsychological
evaluation, brain imaging techniques
Rehabilitation
Teaching
Research
Medicological (expert witness): compensation litigation, diminished criminal
responsibility
Patient populations Ans✓✓-Traumatic head injury
Stroke
,Brain tumours
Dementing conditions
Learning disabilities
Pervasive developmental disorders
Attention deficit disorders
Seizure disorders
Effects of toxic chemicals or chronic substance abuse
What is a neuropsychological evaluation? Ans✓✓-Assessment of behaviour using
standardised tests that are sensitive to brain-behaviour relationships
Quantitative information about the structure and function of the brain and how
that influences behaviour
Multi-dimensional: intelligence, problem solving, memory, language, attention,
perceptual and motor abilities, emotions and personality
When is a neuropsychological evaluation recommended? Ans✓✓-When brain
based impairment is suspected
Types of disorders: traumatic head injury, stroke, learning difficulties, dementing
condition, epilepsy etc.
What does a neuropsychological evaluation involve? Ans✓✓-Variety of tasks
Sitting at a table or bedside in hospital
Non-invasive
6-8 hours face-to-face contact
Single or series of appointments
Based on nature of presenting problem
,Tailored to individual patient needs, abilities and limitations: most comprehensive
information possible
Purpose of a neuropsychological evaluation Ans✓✓-Provide profile on individual
strengths and weaknesses (evaluation, diagnosis, rehabilitation)
Distinguish between organic and non-organic functional limitations (evaluation,
diagnosis)
Document impact of brain dysfunction on individuals life (prognosis)
Monitor progress in rehabilitation (rehabilitation)
Disability determination for forensic and legal purposes (medical/legal role)
Integral approach Ans✓✓-Neuropsychological evaluation results need to be
interpreted in context of other important information
Patients background (personal history, description of illness, medical history,
family history of brain disorder)
Neurologic examination (report)
Neuro-imaging techniques (brain scans)
Psychometric issues Ans✓✓-Standardisation (consistent and uniform
test/conditions)
Test norms (map performance, determine levels)
Reliability (consistency of results)
Validity (construct, concurrent, predictive)
Neuropsychological tests Ans✓✓-Sensitive to indicators of brain damage
Need to pick up potential changes in brain by assessing behaviour
, Test battery Ans✓✓-Number of tests integrated together
Selection believed to provide best snapshot
Multidimensional
Covers wide range of functional areas
Functional areas Ans✓✓-Basic -> complex
Organised how they are mapped onto brain
Lower order functions more easily mapped
High order functions require connections between brain
Orientation
Sensation and perception
Attention
Motor skills
Language
Visual-spatial organisation
Memory
Executive function
Orientation Ans✓✓-Awareness to surrounding world
Person, time, place
Reticular formation: awareness, arousal and orientation
Assessment instrument: Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) -
assesses orientation to person time and place and amnesia (retrograde and
anterograde)
