Neuropsychologists - Santa Monica, CA

What is Neuropsychology?

Neuropsychology is a subspecialty of psychology that is concerned with how well the brain is functioning. It looks at how the physical structure of the brain and nervous system influence our thoughts and behavior. Neuropsychologists consult with other physicians to treat many kinds of neurological, psychiatric, and other medical conditions, including:

Dementia
Parkinson's disease
Traumatic brain injury
Seizure disorders
Developmental disorders affecting the brain
Neurological effects of medical conditions or treatments

Patients may be referred to a neuropsychologist if they are experiencing any significant changes in:

Concentration
Perception
Organization, reasoning, or logic
Memory
Language
Coordination
Personality

Typically a consultation with a neuropsychologist consists of an interview and some testing to evaluate brain function. The interview asks about symptoms that you may have been experiencing. The tests are done either with pencil and paper or on a computer, and they are simple memory or thinking skills games. They may take more than an hour to complete. How you answer the test portion gives the neuropsychologist a great deal of information about the functioning, strengths, and weaknesses of each area of your brain. This information can be used to make a diagnosis or help guide a treatment plan for the future.