A neuropsychological assessment includes a series of tasks with a specific purpose. We ask our patients to complete these tasks and are able to link their actions to specific parts of the brain. Each part of our brain helps us perform different tasks, and based on the testing, we can understand which part of the brain may be impaired by an injury or disease.

The length of neuropsychological testing will depend on each person’s individual challenges. It can range from 3-6 hours and can be completed all in one day or split up into different days. We take an individualized approach when scheduling. For example, a neuropsychological examination for a young adult may take the full 5-6 hours, while an 80-year-old with memory problems may take 2-4 hours. Deep brain stimulation presurgical evaluations also differ from typical evaluations.

Sample testing schedule:

9:30-10:30 am Interview (to review current problems and history)

10:30am-12:00pm Testing

12:00 pm Lunch break

12:30 pm-2:30 pm Testing

That is a long testing day. Is there a shorter test I can take?

Yes! We can also offer screening assessments which include a one-hour interview and 1.5 hours of testing.

Is online neuropsychological testing available?

We recommend completing a neuropsychological evaluation at our office where we can be there to observe our patient’s behavior in person. However, we do offer online video testing and can provide the testing through a secure virtual platform. Virtual testing is considered on a case-by-case basis.

What types of conditions do you assess?

Our practice mainly focuses on medical and neurological injuries and illnesses. This can include dementia/memory loss (Alzheimer's disease, Lewy Body disease, frontotemporal dementia, alcohol-related dementia), brain injury (ranging from concussion to severe), stroke and aneurysm, lack of oxygen (sleep apnea, drug overdose, asphyxiation), motor disorders (Parkinson’s disease, ALS, progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple systems atrophy), toxic exposure (mold, lead, mercury, solvents, etc.), viral/bacterial infections (Lyme, hepatitis, syphilis, herpes, meningitis), metabolic (diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, vitamin deficiency), organ failure or sepsis (heart, liver, kidneys), prion disease (creutzfeldt-jakob disease), genetic disorders, autoimmune (multiple sclerosis, lupus, chronic inflammatory process), brain tumors, cancer and the effects of cancer treatment.

What is the benefit of neuropsychological testing?

The symptoms of brain injuries and brain diseases can appear similar to the untrained eye. As each injury and disease have very different treatments, it is important to understand as early as possible the root cause of these symptoms. The earlier we can understand our patient’s condition, the earlier we can suggest a treatment. While there is currently no cure for many forms of dementia, current treatments can delay or slow their effects.