Skip to main content

Role of Neuropsychology in Neurodegeneration

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Neurodegenerative Disorders

Abstract

There is a growing demand for formal neuropsychological assessment in patients with suspected or known neurodegenerative diseases. These assessments are increasingly viewed as an integral part of the work-up of these patients. This chapter summarises the different aspects of the neuropsychological assessment and the basic knowledge required on the part of the referring clinician. We briefly discuss the cognitive domains commonly examined during a neuropsychological assessment and the clinical relevance of identified deficits. The common pitfalls encountered during neuropsychological testing are also discussed. The chapter provides a summary of the building blocks and limitations of neuropsychological assessments, and is focused on the basic concepts with which a clinician must be familiar in order to have realistic expectations of these assessments and to ensure maximum benefit to patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Further Reading

  • Abrahams S, Newton J, Niven E, Foley J, Bak TH. Screening for cognition and behaviour changes in ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2014;15(1–2):9–14. doi:10.3109/21678421.2013.805784. Epub 19 Jun 2013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez JA, Eugene Emory E. Executive function and the frontal lobes: a meta-analytic review. Neuropsychol Rev. 2006;16(1):17–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baddeley AD. Working memory. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baddeley A. Working memory: theories, models, and controversies. Annu Rev Psychol. 2012;63:1–29. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100422. Epub 27 Sep 2011. Review.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bak TH, Chandran S. What wires together dies together: verbs, actions and neurodegeneration in motor neuron disease. Cortex. 2012;48(7):936–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chan RC, Shum D, Toulopoulou T, Chen EY. Assessment of executive functions: review of instruments and identification of critical issues. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2008;23(2):201–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond A. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol. 2013;64:135–68. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750. Epub 27 Sep 2012.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubois B, Slachevsky A, Litvan I, Pillon B. The FAB: a frontal assessment battery at bedside. Neurology. 2000;55(11):1621–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duke LM, Kaszniak AW. Executive control functions in degenerative dementias: a comparative review. Neuropsychol Rev. 2000;10(2):75–99.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elamin M, Pender N, Hardiman O, Abrahams S. Social cognition in neurodegenerative disorders: a systematic review. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2012;83(11):1071–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eustache F, Desgranges B. MNESIS: towards the integration of current multisystem models of memory. Neuropsychol Rev. 2008;18:53–69.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grace J, Stout JC, Malloy PF. Assessing frontal lobe behavioral syndromes with the frontal lobe personality scale. Assessment. 1999;6:269–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harciarek M, Kertesz A. Primary progressive aphasias and their contribution to the contemporary knowledge about the brain-language relationship. Neuropsychol Rev. 2011;21:271–87.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey PD. Clinical applications of neuropsychological assessment. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2012;14(10):91–9.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heilman KM. Apraxia. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2010;16(4 Behavioral Neurology):86–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillis AE. Naming and language production. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2010;16(4 Behavioral Neurology):29–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh S, Schubert S, Hoon C, Mioshi E, Hodges JR. Validation of the Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination III in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2013;36(3–4):242–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jurado MB, Rosselli M. The elusive nature of executive functions: a review of our current understanding. Neuropsychol Rev. 2007;17(3):213–33. Epub 5 Sep 2007. Review.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lowndes G, Savage G. Early detection of memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease: a neurocognitive perspective on assessment. Neuropsychol Rev. 2007;17:193–202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin RC. LANGUAGE PROCESSING: functional organization and neuroanatomical basis. Annu Rev Psychol. 2003;54:55–89.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathuranath PS, Nestor PJ, Berrios GE, Rakowicz W, Hodges JR. A brief cognitive test battery to differentiate Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. Neurology. 2000;55(11):1613–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mesulam MM, Rogalski EJ, Wieneke C, Hurley RS, Geula C, Bigio EH, Thompson CK, Weintraub S. Primary progressive aphasia and the evolving neurology of the language network. Nat Rev Neurol. 2014;10(10):554–69.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mioshi E, Dawson K, Mitchell J, Arnold R, Hodges JR. The Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination revised (ACE-R): a brief cognitive test battery for dementia screening. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006;21(11):1078–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H. The montreal cognitive assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005;53(4):695–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogalski E, Johnson N, Weintraub S, Mesulam M. Increased frequency of learning disability in patients with primary progressive aphasia and their first-degree relatives. Arch Neurol. 2008;65(2):244–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Royal J. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol. 2013;64:135–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salmon DP, Bondi MW. Neuropsychological assessment of dementia. Annu Rev Psychol. 2009;60:257–82.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stuss DT. Functions of the frontal lobes: relation to executive functions. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2011;17(5):759–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vakil E. Neuropsychological assessment: principles, rationale, and challenges. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2012;34(2):135–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983;67:361–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marwa Elamin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Elamin, M., Bak, T.H., Doherty, C.P., Pender, N., Abrahams, S. (2016). Role of Neuropsychology in Neurodegeneration. In: Hardiman, O., Doherty, C., Elamin, M., Bede, P. (eds) Neurodegenerative Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23309-3_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23309-3_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-23308-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-23309-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics