J. Mimi Castelo, PHD
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Heather Snead, PsyD
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Clinical Services

The Neuropsychological Exam

A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation Involves as much clinical interviewing and testing necessary to answer the referral question(s) thoroughly and provide a rich set of recommendations.  An evaluation typically consists of:

• Screening Phone Call. Depending on the referral question and complexity of the case, a telephone call may take place prior to the testing to clarify the reason for the evaluation and to establish expectations for what will happen on the day of the appointment and afterward.  This usually lasts between 15 and 45 minutes.
• Clinical Interview. An initial clinical interview is conducted to further clarify details of relevant history and current symptoms. For adults, this interview may take place on the same day immediately prior to testing, or may be a separate appointment on a different day. For children and adolescents the clinical interview is typically much briefer and much of the history is gathered from the parent by phone during the initial telephone call.
• Formal Testing. Administration of neuropsychological, psychological, and/or educational tests can take anywhere between 2 and 7 hours depending on the reason for the evaluation as well as individual factors, such as endurance and energy level.
• Written Report.  A written report documents the reason for evaluation, clinical history and relevant background, test results, diagnostic impressions, and recommendations.  The length and detail of a report varies depending on the referral question, testing objectives, and complexity of the evaluation.
• Formal feedback session (optional). Once the evaluation is complete and the report has been written, it is helpful to meet again to go over the results and recommendations and to answer any final questions.  This can take anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes.

Common Referral Questions and Issues

We see children (ages 6 and older), adolescents, and adults for neuropsychological and psychological evaluations.  The most common reasons for evaluation include:

• Clarifying the causes of academic difficulties
• Assisting with making a diagnosis (i.e., differential diagnosis)
• Characterizing cognitive strengths and weaknesses
• Documenting cognitive profiles prior to a neurosurgical intervention
• Documenting changes in functioning over time or after an intervention
• Guiding treatment recommendations

We see individuals with a range of different conditions and diagnoses, including:

• Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Brain Tumors
• Dementia
• Dyslexia
• Epilepsy
• Executive Dysfunction
• Frontotemporal Dementia
• Learning Disabilities
• Memory Problems
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Nonverbal Learning Disorder
• Parkinson’s Disease and other Movement Disorders
• Sleep Disorders
• Stroke
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Traumatic Brain Injury