Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology is a specialty clinical service that provides in-depth evaluations of cognitive functioning (thinking abilities). This includes memory, attention, and problem solving, as well as psychological functioning (depression, anxiety). Neuropsychological assessment is part of the gold standard workup for diagnoses and staging of many neurological and medical disorders. This assessment will also help your providers to better understand your cognitive strengths and weaknesses.

For adults, there may be a variety of medical reasons and neurological disorders for which a person is referred for a neuropsychological evaluation:

• Cognitive changes resulting from primary medical condition such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, tumor, and traumatic brain injury.
• Neuropsychological testing is an essential part of the gold standard assessment for suspected neurodegenerative conditions (e.g. dementia), in addition to neuroimaging, laboratory studies, and an evaluation by our world-class neurologists.
• Neuropsychological assessment is also critical when predicting how neurosurgery may impact cognitive and emotional functioning. These referrals are often for patients who are undergoing candidacy workup within the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and Movement Disorders Center (e.g. deep brain stimulation, Gamma Knife).
• For children, neuropsychological evaluations can be medically based (e.g. epilepsy) or part of the process for better understanding developmentally-based disorders (e.g. autism spectrum disorders). Pediatric neuropsychological services are offered within the Child Study Center. Please contact pediatric neuropsychologist Mary Best, PhD at 203-737-7151 for an appointment or more information.

• Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
• Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC)
• Yale Movement Disorders - Parkinson's Disease & Essential Tremor
• Yale Neuro-Immunology - Multiple Sclerosis Center
• Yale Neurodegenerative Disorders - Dementia/Alzheimer's Disease