Introduction to Neuropsychological Assessment

Abstract

Neuropsychological assessment is the clinical practice of using tests and other behavioral evaluation instruments to determine the status of brain function. It is based on the assumption that the brain is the organ of behavior, and so the status of the brain can be evaluated through the use of behavioral measures. Over many years of research, particular procedures have been found to have particular sensitivities to alterations in brain function, and these procedures have come to be known as neuropsychological tests. A neuropsychological test may therefore be defined as a behavioral procedure that is particularly sensitive to the condition of the brain. While any purposeful behavior involves the brain, neuropsychological tests provide the clearest demonstrations of behaviors that indicate that the brain is functioning normally, or that something is wrong with it. There are many factors that can produce brain dysfunction including genetic endowment, developmental abnormalities, physical injury, exposure to toxic or infectious agents, systemic diseases (e.g., vascular disorders, cancer, metabolic disorders), and progressive disorders that specifically affect central nervous system tissue, such as multiple sclerosis.