[Formula: see text]Official Position of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN): Guidelines for Practicum Training in Clinical Neuropsychology.

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Nelson, Aaron P; Roper, Brad L; Slomine, Beth S; Morrison, Chris; Greher, Michael R; Janusz, Jennifer; Larson, Jennifer C; Meadows, Mary-Ellen; Ready, Rebecca E; Rivera Mindt, Monica; Whiteside, Doug M; Willment, Kim; Wodushek, Thomas R

2015-01-01

Practical experience is central to the education and training of neuropsychologists, beginning in graduate school and extending through postdoctoral fellowship. However, historically, little attention has been given to the structure and requirements of practicum training in clinical neuropsychology. A working group of senior-level neuropsychologists, as well as a current postdoctoral fellow, all from a diverse range of settings (The AACN Practicum Guidelines Workgroup), was formed to propose guidelines for practicum training in clinical neuropsychology. The Workgroup reviewed relevant literature and sought input from professional organizations involved in education and training in neuropsychology. The proposed guidelines provide a definition of practicum training in clinical neuropsychology, detail entry and exit criteria across competencies relevant to practicum training in clinical neuropsychology, and discuss the relationship between doctoral training programs and practicum training sites. The proposed guidelines also provide a methodology for competency-based evaluation of clinical neuropsychology practicum trainees and outline characteristics and features that are integral to an effective training environment. Although the guidelines discussed below may not be implemented in their entirety across all clinical neuropsychology practicum training sites, they are consistent with the latest developments in competency-based education.

History of Neuropsychology Through Epilepsy Eyes

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Loring, David W.

2010-01-01

In the 19th century, Hughlings Jackson relied on clinical history, seizure semiology, and the neurologic examination as methods for seizure localization to inform the first epilepsy surgeries. In the 20th century, psychological and neuropsychological tests were first employed as both diagnostic and prognostic measures. The contemporary practice of epilepsy evaluation and management includes neuropsychology as a critical component of epilepsy care and research, and epilepsy and neuropsychology have enjoyed a very special and synergistic relationship. This paper reviews how epilepsy has shaped the practice of neuropsychology as a clinical service by asking critical questions that only neuropsychologists were in a position to answer, and how clinical care of epilepsy patients has been significantly improved based on neuropsychology's unique contributions. PMID:20395259

[Formula: see text]The statistical crisis in science: how is it relevant to clinical neuropsychology?

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Gelman, Andrew; Geurts, Hilde M

There is currently increased attention to the statistical (and replication) crisis in science. Biomedicine and social psychology have been at the heart of this crisis, but similar problems are evident in a wide range of fields. We discuss three examples of replication challenges from the field of social psychology and some proposed solutions, and then consider the applicability of these ideas to clinical neuropsychology. In addition to procedural developments such as preregistration and open data and criticism, we recommend that data be collected and analyzed with more recognition that each new study is a part of a learning process. The goal of improving neuropsychological assessment, care, and cure is too important to not take good scientific practice seriously.

Religious Experience from a Neuro-Psychological View

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Hadi Vakili

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The search for the basis of religious experience among neurological processes in the brain has resulted in a widespread debate within, as well as outside the academic world. The aim of this paper is to analyze to what extent a neuro-psychological theory could explain the phenomenon of  religious experience. To clarify what the neuro-psychological studies of  the present paper mean by the concept of  religious experience, the concept has been divided into three different types: The Erlebnis or RErl type, the Erfahrung or RErf type and the ideological type of religious experience or RIT type. Furthermore, the present paper is focused on the work of neuro-psychologist M. A. Persinger [1997, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1987, 1985, and 1984]. In his studies, Persinger indicates that mystical experience (RErl has its seat in the right hemisphere of the human brain, whereas (religious ideology (RIT is related to the left hemisphere. Consequently, the hemisphere in which the (religious experience is taking place seems to label the type of experience. Persinger, interested in the powerful effects of religious experience (of the RErf type on human beings, asserts that if we could understand the neuro-cognitive processes involved in experiencing religiously, such processes might be copied for clinical use in order to improve psychiatric therapy for curing depression. Thus, Persinger studied and compared people practicing religious meditation with people who did not, and also studied the results of PET scanning on the experiences of schizophrenic and epileptic patients. PET scanning measures the metabolic activity in the hemispheres, ranging it on a scale from under normal to over normal activity. This paper will account for the relevance of comparing these two apparently different studies and for the problem arising the experience of pain because, neurologically, pain, like religious experience,is said to be caused by processes in the human brain.

Commentary: the postdoctoral residency match in clinical neuropsychology.

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Bodin, Doug; Grote, Christopher L

2016-07-01

Postdoctoral recruitment in clinical neuropsychology has evolved significantly over the past two decades. Prior to 1994, there were no organized recruitment guidelines for the specialty. From 1994 to 2001, the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) facilitated a uniform notification date where member programs agreed to not make offers prior to a specified date. In 2001, APPCN partnered with National Matching Services to administer a computerized match recruitment system. Presently, not all programs participate in the match. This often results in students applying to 'match' and 'non-match' programs which can lead to significant stress on the part of applicants and program directors. This issue has recently become the focus of journal articles and public discussions. The goals of this paper were to review the history of postdoctoral recruitment in clinical neuropsychology, review the benefits of coordinated recruitment systems, review the structure and function of the computerized match, and explain why the computerized match for postdoctoral recruitment in clinical neuropsychology is beneficial for the specialty of clinical neuropsychology.

The American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, National Academy of Neuropsychology, and Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (APA Division 40) 2015 TCN Professional Practice and 'Salary Survey': Professional Practices, Beliefs, and Incomes of U.S. Neuropsychologists.

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Sweet, Jerry J; Benson, Laura M; Nelson, Nathaniel W; Moberg, Paul J

2015-01-01

The current survey updated professional practice and income information pertaining to clinical neuropsychology. Doctoral-level members of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, Division 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology) of the American Psychological Association, and the National Academy of Neuropsychology and other neuropsychologists, as well as postdoctoral trainees in the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology and at other training sites were invited to participate in a web-based survey in early 2015. The sample of 1777 respondents, of whom 1579 were doctoral-level practitioners and 198 were postdoctoral trainees, was larger than the prior 2010 income and practice survey. The substantial proportional change in gender has continued, with women now a clear majority in the postdoctoral trainee sample as well as in the practitioner sample. Dissimilar from the median age trajectory of American Psychological Association members, the median age of clinical neuropsychologists remains essentially unchanged since 1989, indicating a substantial annual influx of young neuropsychologists. The question of whether the Houston Conference training model has become an important influence in the specialty can now be considered settled in the affirmative among postdoctoral trainees and practitioners. Testing assistant usage remains commonplace, and continues to be more common in institutions. The vast majority of clinical neuropsychologists work full-time and very few are unemployed and seeking employment. The numbers of neuropsychologists planning to retire in the coming 5-10 years do not suggest a "baby boomer" effect or an unexpected bolus of planned retirements in the next 10 years that would be large enough to be worrisome. Average length of time reported for evaluations appears to be increasing across time. The most common factors affecting evaluation length were identified, with the top three being: (1) goal of evaluation, (2) stamina

Neuropsychology in Japan: history, current challenges, and future prospects.

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Sakamoto, Maiko

2016-11-01

The purpose of this special issue was to describe the cross-cultural differences in neuropsychology throughout the world. The current state of neuropsychology in Japan is discussed in this manuscript. Information on six topics, including (1) the history of Japanese neuropsychology, (2) licensure system, (3) job opportunities, (4) neuropsychological clinical services, (5) neuropsychological tests, and (6) neuropsychological research, was gathered via literature searches, official organization websites, and personal communication with clinical psychologists and other professionals in Japan. Neuropsychology reached Japan from the west in the late 1800s, a period of rapid political and social modernization. Professional associations were founded in the 1960s and 1970s and continued to grow. The need for neuropsychological assessment in Japan is growing; however, credential requirements for neuropsychologists have not yet been established. To practice clinical psychology in Japan, one must obtain a Master's degree and pass a licensure examination that is administered by a private professional foundation. Clinical psychologists often conduct neuropsychological tests; however, they have little training in neuropsychological assessment. While many western neuropsychological tests have been translated into Japanese and are used in clinical settings, the majority of translated tests have not been standardized and their psychometric properties remain poorly understood. Standardization and development of normative data in Japan is warranted. Given that needs for neuropsychological services are increasing, it is essential for clinical psychologists in Japan to improve their skills in neuropsychological evaluations. Japanese graduate schools must work to establish neuropsychology programs to educate and train clinical neuropsychologists.

Development and application of neuropsychology in Hong Kong: implications of its value and future advancement.

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Chan, Agnes S; Sze, Sophia L; Cheung, Mei-Chun; Han, Yvonne M Y

2016-11-01

To review the development, application, and value of neuropsychology, and the standard education and training pathway for neuropsychologists or clinical neuropsychologists in Hong Kong. The information provided here was gathered via a literature review of the status of neuropsychology and the validity of commonly adopted neuropsychological tests in Hong Kong. Additional details were acquired via the internet about local tertiary education curricula and the related requirements, the availability of professional associations for licensure or board certification, and relevant statistics/surveys conducted by the government. Some information about the clinical practice of neuropsychology was collected through personal communication with local clinical psychologists. The development of neuropsychology in Hong Kong over the past 20 years is rapid and productive, given the increasing application of advanced neuroimaging techniques, neuropsychological tests, and opportunities for exchanging up-to-date neuropsychological knowledge and professional training through international conferences, workshops, and seminars. Given that neuropsychology services are often provided by clinical psychologists who are master's degree graduates in clinical psychology, the relatively limited training in neuropsychological knowledge and skills and the lack of division for membership or mandatory registration as a neuropsychologist/clinical neuropsychologist may have an impact on the quality of clinical neuropsychological services and the development of this specialty. These findings signify a need for further improvement or refinement of educational and training pathways for neuropsychologist or clinical neuropsychologist along with the recognition of its value in clinical practice through registration of different disciplines of psychology in Hong Kong.

Deciding to adopt revised and new psychological and neuropsychological tests: an inter-organizational position paper.

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Bush, Shane S; Sweet, Jerry J; Bianchini, Kevin J; Johnson-Greene, Doug; Dean, Pamela M; Schoenberg, Mike R

2018-04-01

Neuropsychological tests undergo periodic revision intended to improve psychometric properties, normative data, relevance of stimuli, and ease of administration. In addition, new tests are developed to evaluate psychological and neuropsychological constructs, often purporting to improve evaluation effectiveness. However, there is limited professional guidance to neuropsychologists concerning the decision to adopt a revised version of a test and/or replace an older test with a new test purporting to measure the same or overlapping constructs. This paper describes ethical and professional issues related to the selection and use of older versus newer psychological and neuropsychological tests, with the goal of promoting appropriate test selection and evidence-based decision making. Ethical and professional issues were reviewed and considered. The availability of a newer version of a test does not necessarily render obsolete prior versions of the test for purposes that are empirically supported, nor should continued empirically supported use of a prior version of a test be considered unethical practice. Until a revised or new test has published evidence of improved ability to help clinicians to make diagnostic determinations, facilitate treatment, and/or assess change over time, the choice to delay adoption of revised or new tests may be viewed as reasonable and appropriate. Recommendations are offered to facilitate decisions about the adoption of revised and new tests. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of individual neuropsychologists to determine which tests best meet their patients' needs, and to be able to support their decisions with empirical evidence and sound clinical judgment.

Introduction to special issue: moving forward in pediatric neuropsychology.

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Daly, Brian P; Giovannetti, Tania; Zabel, T Andrew; Chute, Douglas L

2011-08-01

This special issue of The Clinical Neuropsychologist focuses on advances in the emerging subspecialty of pediatric neuropsychology. The national and international contributions in this issue cover a range of key clinical, research, training, and professional issues specific to pediatric neuropsychology. The genesis for this project developed out of a series of talks at the Philadelphia Pediatric Neuropsychology Symposium in 2010, hosted by the Stein Family Fellow, the Department of Psychology of the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University, and the Philadelphia Neuropsychology Society. Articles that explore clinical practice issue focus on the assessment of special medical populations with congenital and/or acquired central nervous system insults. Research articles investigate the core features of developmental conditions, the use of technology in neuropsychological research studies, and large sample size genomic, neuropsychological, and imaging studies of under-represented populations. The final series of articles examine new considerations in training, advocacy, and subspecialty board certification that have emerged in pediatric neuropsychology. This introductory article provides an overview of the articles in this special issue and concluding thoughts about the future of pediatric neuropsychology.

Clinical neuropsychology practice and training in Canada.

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Janzen, Laura A; Guger, Sharon

2016-11-01

This invited paper provides information about professional neuropsychology issues in Canada and is part of a special issue addressing international perspectives on education, training, and practice in clinical neuropsychology. Information was gathered from literature searches and personal communication with other neuropsychologists in Canada. Canada has a rich neuropsychological history. Neuropsychologists typically have doctoral-level education including relevant coursework and supervised practical experience. Licensure requirements vary across the 10 provinces and there are regional differences in salary. While training at the graduate and internship level mirrors that of our American colleagues, completion of a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology is not required to obtain employment in many settings and there are few postdoctoral training programs in this country. The majority of neuropsychologists are employed in institutional settings (e.g. hospitals, universities, rehabilitation facilities), with a growing number entering private practice or other settings. There are challenges in providing neuropsychological services to the diverse Canadian population and a need for assessment measures and normative data in multiple languages. Canadian neuropsychologists face important challenges in defining ourselves as distinct from other professions and other psychologists, in maintaining funding for high-quality training and research, in establishing neuropsychology-specific training and practice standards at the provincial or national level, and ensuring the clinical care that we provide is efficient and effective in meeting the needs of our patient populations and consumers, both within and outside of the publically funded health care system.

Profession of neuropsychology in Latin America.

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Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos; Stevens, Lillian; Morlett Paredes, Alejandra; Ardila, Alfredo; Rivera, Diego

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze characteristics of individuals working in the profession of neuropsychology in Latin America in order to understand their background, professional training, current work situation, assessment and diagnostic procedures used, rehabilitation techniques employed, population targeted, teaching responsibilities, and research activities. A total of 808 professionals working in neuropsychology from 17 countries in Latin America completed an online survey between July 2013 and January 2014. The majority of participants were female and the mean age was 36.76 years (range 21-74 years). The majority of professionals working in neuropsychology in Latin America have a background in psychology, with some additional specialized training and supervised clinical practice. Over half work in private practice, universities, or private clinics and are quite satisfied with their work. Those who identify themselves as clinicians primarily work with individuals with learning problems, ADHD, mental retardation, TBI, dementia, and stroke. The majority respondents cite the top barrier in the use of neuropsychological instruments to be the lack of normative data for their countries. The top perceived barriers to the field include: lack of academic training programs, lack of clinical training opportunities, lack of willingness to collaborate between professionals, and lack of access to neuropsychological instruments. There is a need in Latin America to increase regulation, improve graduate curriculums, enhance existing clinical training, develop professional certification programs, validate existing neuropsychological tests, and create new, culturally-relevant instruments.

The practice of clinical neuropsychology in Australia.

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Ponsford, Jennie

2016-11-01

This paper describes the development and practice of clinical neuropsychology in Australia. Clinical Neuropsychology has shown rapid growth in Australia over the past three decades. Comprehensive and specialized training programs are producing high quality graduates who are employed in a broad range of settings or private practice. Australia now has a substantial number of clinical neuropsychologists with specialist training. Whilst the majority of Australian clinical neuropsychologists still undertake assessment predominantly, there are growing opportunities for clinical neuropsychologists in rehabilitation and in a broad range of research contexts. Cultural issues relating to the assessment of Indigenous Australians and immigrants from many countries present significant challenges. Some major contributions have been made in the realms of test development and validation across various age groups. Australian clinical neuropsychologists are also contributing significantly to research in the fields of traumatic brain injury, aging and dementias, epilepsy, memory assessment, rehabilitation, substance abuse, and other psychiatric disorders. Expansion of roles of clinical neuropsychologists, in domains such as rehabilitation and research is seen as essential to underpin continuing growth of employment opportunities for the profession.

Neuropsychological heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis / Heterogeneidade neuropsicológica na esclerose múlipla

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Eduardo de Paula Lima

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis (MS is a progressively disabling neurological disease which symptoms affect sensory, motor and psychological functioning. Several clinical neurological and psychological variables influence the neuropsychological profile in MS, which is extremely heterogeneous. The main objective of the present study was to investigate if it is possible to statistically stratify control subjects and MS patients from neurological, socio-demographic and neuropsychological dimensions. With this purpose we applied cluster analysis procedures to five neuropsychological instruments selected according to diagnostic accuracy from a pool of 9 neuropsychological tests. The sample was composed of 45 healthy controls and 35 MS patients with similar socio-demographic characteristics. The results indicated an ideal solution with 4 different clusters according to two dimensions: "cognitive" and "psychosocial" functioning, which represent independent but non-disjunctive aspects of neuropsychological functioning in MS.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Clinical Neuropsychology of Movement Disorders.

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Tröster, Alexander I

2017-11-01

The special issue on the clinical neuropsychology of movement disorders provides an overview for the non-subspecialist clinical neuropsychologist and other clinical neuroscientists of the neuropsychological features, assessment and treatment of Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementias, atypical parkinsonian disorders (corticobasal syndrome, progressive supranuclear palsy, and multiple system atrophy), Huntington's disease, dystonia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Additionally, articles provide overviews of neuropsychological and ethical issues related to deep brain stimulation and a discussion of non-pharamcologic and non-invasive treatment of cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. A search of PubMed using neuropsycholog* and parkinson* as search terms indicates that the number of articles dealing with neuropsychology of parkinsonian disorders has more than doubled in each of the past three decades (1990-99:269 entries, 2000-09:575 entries, 2010-17:967 entries). This rapid growth of research makes a special issue on the topic very timely. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Use of the Rorschach test in neuropsychology

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Ana Ožura

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The Rorschach test is widely used as a part of the assessment in clinical psychology in the world. It is also often used as a part of neuropsychological assessment in our unit at Division of Neurology in Ljubljana. We are presenting a review of clinically relevant information for the use of the Rorschach test in clinical practice with an emphasis on neuropsychology. The Rorschach test was considered a controversial instrument in the past. We are presenting a summary of research on its utility and psychometric characteristics. The number of studies in the field of neuropsychological application of the Rorschach test is limited. We describe theoretical models of cognitive processes involved in the process of solving the Rorschach test as a problem solving test apart from projection processes. The test however still lacks a theoretical basis formed on the brain behavior relations that is needed for every neuropsychological test. Nevertheless we noticed a recent growing interest in the published literature for finding neurological correlates of the response process in this test. Our research with patients with multiple sclerosis performed is described. We state implications for further research.

The structure of mental health research: networks of influence among psychiatry and clinical psychology journals.

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Haslam, N; Lusher, D

2011-12-01

Psychiatry and clinical psychology are the two dominant disciplines in mental health research, but the structure of scientific influence and information flow within and between them has never been mapped. Citations among 96 of the highest impact psychiatry and clinical psychology journals were examined, based on 10 052 articles published in 2008. Network analysis explored patterns of influence between journal clusters. Psychiatry journals tended to have greater influence than clinical psychology journals, and their influence was asymmetrical: clinical psychology journals cited psychiatry journals at a much higher rate than the reverse. Eight journal clusters were found, most dominated by a single discipline. Their citation network revealed an influential central cluster of 'core psychiatry' journals that had close affinities with a 'psychopharmacology' cluster. A group of 'core clinical psychology' journals was linked to a 'behavior therapy' cluster but both were subordinate to psychiatry journals. Clinical psychology journals were less integrated than psychiatry journals, and 'health psychology/behavioral medicine' and 'neuropsychology' clusters were relatively peripheral to the network. Scientific publication in the mental health field is largely organized along disciplinary lines, and is to some degree hierarchical, with clinical psychology journals tending to be structurally subordinate to psychiatry journals.

Clinical neuropsychology within adolescent and young-adult psychiatry: conceptualizing theory and practice.

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Allott, Kelly; Proffitt, Tina-Marie; McGorry, Patrick D; Pantelis, Christos; Wood, Stephen J; Cumner, Marnie; Brewer, Warrick J

2013-01-01

Historically, clinical neuropsychology has made significant contributions to the understanding of brain-behavior relationships, particularly in neurological conditions. During the past several decades, neuropsychology has also become established as an important discipline in psychiatric settings. Cognition is increasingly recognized as being core to psychiatric illnesses and predictive of functional outcomes, augmenting theories regarding symptomatology and illness progression. Adult-type psychiatric disorders (including schizophrenia and other psychotic, mood, anxiety, eating, substance-related, and personality disorders) typically emerge during adolescence or young adulthood, a critical neurodevelopmental period. Clinical neuropsychological assessment in adolescent psychiatric patients is particularly valuable in informing clinical formulation and intervention and can be therapeutic across a number of levels. This article articulates the theoretical considerations and practical challenges and applications of clinical neuropsychology within adolescent and young-adult psychiatry. The importance of considering the neurodevelopmental context and its relationship to current theoretical models underpinning clinical practice are discussed.

The parametric, psychological, neuropsychological, and neuroanatomical properties of self and world evaluation.

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Simmons, Alan N; Thayer, Rachel E; Spadoni, Andrea D; Matthews, Scott C; Strigo, Irina A; Tapert, Susan F

2012-01-01

As an individual moves from adolescence to adulthood, they need to form a new sense of self as their environment changes from a limited to a more expansive structure. During this critical stage in development the last dramatic steps of neural development occur and numerous psychiatric conditions begin to manifest. Currently, there is no measure that aids in the quantification of how the individual is adapting to, and conceptualizing their role in, these new structures. To fill this gap we created the Self and World Evaluation Expressions Test(SWEET). Sixty-five young adults (20.6 years-old), 36 with a history of drug use, completed the SWEET. A factor analysis was performed on the SWEET and the resultant factors were correlated with psychological, neuropsychological, and neuroanatomical battery that included both T1-wieghted and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging scans. WE DERIVED FOUR FACTORS: Self, Social-Emotional, Financial-Intellectual, and Spirituality. While showing limited relationships to psychological and neuropsychological measures, both white matter integrity and gray matter density showed significant relationships with SWEET factors. These findings suggest that while individual responses may not be indicative of psychological or cognitive processes they may relate to changes in brain structure. Several of these structures, such as the negative correlation of the affective impact of world with the dorsal anterior corpus callosum white matter integrity have been observed in psychiatric conditions (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder). Further longitudinal research using the SWEET may help understand the impact of dramatic shifts in self/world conceptualization and potentially link these shifts to underlying changes in brain structure.

Celebrating the 125th anniversary of the American Psychological Association: A quarter century of neuropsychology.

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Brown, Gregory G; Anderson, Vicki; Bigler, Erin D; Chan, Agnes S; Fama, Rosemary; Grabowski, Thomas J; Zakzanis, Konstantine K

2017-11-01

The American Psychological Association (APA) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2017. As part of this celebration, the APA journal Neuropsychology has published in its November 2017 issue 11 papers describing some of the advances in the field of neuropsychology over the past 25 years. The papers address three broad topics: assessment and intervention, brain imaging, and theory and methods. The papers describe the rise of new assessment and intervention technologies, the impact of evidence for neuroplasticity on neurorehabilitation. Examples of the use of mathematical models of cognition to investigate latent neurobehavioral processes, the development of the field of neuropsychology in select international countries, the increasing sophistication of brain imaging methods, the recent evidence for localizationist and connectionist accounts of neurobehavioral functioning, the advances in neurobehavioral genomics, and descriptions of newly developed statistical models of longitudinal change. Together the papers convey evidence of the vibrant growth in the field of neuropsychology over the quarter century since APA's 100th anniversary in 1992. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

A cohort study on full breastfeeding and child neuropsychological development: the role of maternal social, psychological, and nutritional factors.

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Julvez, Jordi; Guxens, Monica; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Forns, Joan; Mendez, Michelle; Turner, Michelle C; Sunyer, Jordi

2014-02-01

This study investigated whether duration of full breastfeeding is associated with child neuropsychological development and whether this association is explained by social, psychological, and nutritional factors within families. Participants in this study were a population-based birth cohort in the city of Sabadell (Catalonia, Spain). Females were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy between July 2004 and July 2006. Information about parental characteristics and breastfeeding was obtained through questionnaires. Full breastfeeding was categorized as never, short term (≤4mo), long term (4-6mo), or very long term (>6mo). A trained psychologist assessed the neuropsychological development of children at 4 years of age (n=434) using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA). Full breastfeeding showed an independent association with child general MSCA scores after adjusting for a range of social, psychological, and nutritional factors (>6mo, coefficient=7.4 [95% confidence interval=2.8-12.0], p=0.011). Maternal social class, education level, and IQ were also associated with child neuropsychological scores, but did not explain breastfeeding associations. Omega-3 (n3) fatty acid levels were not associated with child neuropsychological scores. Very long-term full breastfeeding was independently associated with neuropsychological functions of children at 4 years of age. Maternal indicators of intelligence, psychopathology, and colostrum n3 fatty acids did not explain this association. © 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Response to Bodin and Grote regarding postdoctoral recruitment in clinical neuropsychology.

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Nelson, Aaron; Bilder, Robert M; O'Connor, Margaret; Brandt, Jason; Weintraub, Sandra; Bauer, Russell M

2016-07-01

Bodin and Grote convey their opinion that the field of clinical neuropsychology would be best served by a match system for recruitment into postdoctoral training. We critically review their arguments and offer an alternative point of view. Our view considers the current state of the match system in neuropsychology, incorporates comparisons with other disciplines that rely on a match system, and addresses the role of postdoctoral training and the specialization that takes shape at this level. We make recommendations aimed at promoting greater unity among postdoctoral training programs with the goal of focusing leadership efforts on advancing our shared mission of providing the highest quality training in clinical neuropsychology.

Practice, training, and research in neuropsychology in mainland China: challenges and opportunities.

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Chan, Raymond C K; Wang, Ya; Wang, Yi; Cheung, Eric F C

2016-11-01

This is an invited paper for a special issue. The objective was to review history, educational and training pathways, licensure and board certification, practice and compensation, and unique aspects of, or challenges faced by, neuropsychology in mainland China. Historical, scientific, and clinical literatures were reviewed and integrated. The history of neuropsychology in mainland China is traced back to the late 1930s. Educational pathways have not yet been fully formalized. Clinical practice generally occurs within rehabilitation settings, and medical license is required. The main challenge lies in the establishment of training guidelines and the expansion of neuropsychology to meet the tremendous needs of a large nation. Although the development and status of psychology has gradually gained momentum in mainland China, the development of neuropsychology has not shown significant advancement since the late 1930s.

Official Position of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology Social Security Administration Policy on Validity Testing: Guidance and Recommendations for Change.

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Chafetz, M D; Williams, M A; Ben-Porath, Y S; Bianchini, K J; Boone, K B; Kirkwood, M W; Larrabee, G J; Ord, J S

2015-01-01

The milestone publication by Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) of criteria for determining malingered neurocognitive dysfunction led to extensive research on validity testing. Position statements by the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) recommended routine validity testing in neuropsychological evaluations. Despite this widespread scientific and professional support, the Social Security Administration (SSA) continued to discourage validity testing, a stance that led to a congressional initiative for SSA to reevaluate their position. In response, SSA commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to evaluate the science concerning the validation of psychological testing. The IOM concluded that validity assessment was necessary in psychological and neuropsychological examinations (IOM, 2015 ). The AACN sought to provide independent expert guidance and recommendations concerning the use of validity testing in disability determinations. A panel of contributors to the science of validity testing and its application to the disability process was charged with describing why the disability process for SSA needs improvement, and indicating the necessity for validity testing in disability exams. This work showed how the determination of malingering is a probability proposition, described how different types of validity tests are appropriate, provided evidence concerning non-credible findings in children and low-functioning individuals, and discussed the appropriate evaluation of pain disorders typically seen outside of mental consultations. A scientific plan for validity assessment that additionally protects test security is needed in disability determinations and in research on classification accuracy of disability decisions.

Indications and expectations for neuropsychological assessment in routine epilepsy care: Report of the ILAE Neuropsychology Task Force, Diagnostic Methods Commission, 2013-2017.

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Wilson, Sarah J; Baxendale, Sallie; Barr, William; Hamed, Sherifa; Langfitt, John; Samson, Séverine; Watanabe, Masako; Baker, Gus A; Helmstaedter, Christoph; Hermann, Bruce P; Smith, Mary-Lou

2015-05-01

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Diagnostic Methods Commission charged the Neuropsychology Task Force with the job of developing a set of recommendations to address the following questions: (1) What is the role of a neuropsychological assessment? (2) Who should do a neuropsychological assessment? (3) When should people with epilepsy be referred for a neuropsychological assessment? and (4) What should be expected from a neuropsychological assessment? The recommendations have been broadly written for health care clinicians in established epilepsy settings as well as those setting up new services. They are based on a detailed survey of neuropsychological assessment practices across international epilepsy centers, and formal ranking of specific recommendations for advancing clinical epilepsy care generated by specialist epilepsy neuropsychologists from around the world. They also incorporate the latest research findings to establish minimum standards for training and practice, reflecting the many roles of neuropsychological assessment in the routine care of children and adults with epilepsy. The recommendations endorse routine screening of cognition, mood, and behavior in new-onset epilepsy, and describe the range of situations when more detailed, formal neuropsychological assessment is indicated. They identify a core set of cognitive and psychological domains that should be assessed to provide an objective account of an individual's cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial functioning, including factors likely contributing to deficits identified on qualitative and quantitative examination. The recommendations also endorse routine provision of feedback to patients, families, and clinicians about the implications of the assessment results, including specific clinical recommendations of what can be done to improve a patient's cognitive or psychosocial functioning and alleviate the distress of any difficulties identified. By canvassing the breadth and depth

The Neuropsychological Profile of Comorbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Adult ADHD.

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Antshel, Kevin M; Biederman, Joseph; Spencer, Thomas J; Faraone, Stephen V

2016-12-01

ADHD and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often comorbid yet despite the increased comorbidity between the two disorders, to our knowledge, no data have been published regarding the neuropsychological profile of adults with comorbid ADHD and PTSD. Likewise, previous empirical studies of the neuropsychology of PTSD did not control for ADHD status. We sought to fill this gap in the literature and to assess the extent to which neuropsychological test performance predicted psychosocial functioning, and perceived quality of life. Participants were 201 adults with ADHD attending an outpatient mental health clinic between 1998 and 2003 and 123 controls without ADHD. Participants completed a large battery of self-report measures and psychological tests. Diagnoses were made using data obtained from structured psychiatric interviews (i.e., Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Epidemiologic Version). Differences emerged between control participants and participants with ADHD on multiple neuropsychological tests. Across all tests, control participants outperformed participants with ADHD. Differences between the two ADHD groups emerged on seven psychological subtests including multiple Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third edition and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test measures. These test differences did not account for self-reported quality of life differences between groups. The comorbidity with PTSD in adults with ADHD is associated with weaker cognitive performance on several tasks that appear related to spatial/perceptual abilities and fluency. Neuropsychological test performances may share variance with the quality of life variables yet are not mediators of the quality of life ratings. © The Author(s) 2014.

Lifting the veil: how to use clinical neuropsychology to assess dementia.

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Burrell, James R; Piguet, Olivier

2015-11-01

Neurologists often struggle to interpret the results of neuropsychological testing, even though cognitive assessments are an integral component of the diagnostic process in dementia syndromes. This article reviews the principles underlying clinical neuropsychology, background on common neuropsychological tests, and tips on how to interpret the results when assessing patients with dementia. General cognitive screening tools, appropriate for use by general neurologists and psychiatrists, as well as specific cognitive tests examining the main cognitive domains (attention and orientation, memory, visuospatial function, language and executive function) in patients with dementia are considered. Finally, the pattern of deficits, helpful in defining clinical dementia phenotypes and sometimes in predicting the underlying molecular pathology, are outlined. Such clinicopathological associations will become invaluable as disease-modifying treatments for dementia are developed and implemented. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Gender in clinical neuropsychology: practice survey trends and comparisons outside the specialty.

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Sweet, Jerry J; Lee, Catherine; Guidotti Breting, Leslie M; Benson, Laura M

2018-02-01

This paper describes gender-related trends within clinical neuropsychology, based primarily on recurrent practice surveys within the specialty and, to a lesser extent, job-related information from medical specialties and the general U.S. labor market. Chronological and cross-sectional analyses of professional practice survey data from 2005, 2010, and 2015 relevant to gender. As is common with survey data, descriptive analysis and independent samples t-tests were conducted. Longitudinal data allowed for examination of gender trends, as well as observations of change and stability of factors associated with gender, over time. Women have become dominant in number in clinical neuropsychology, and also comprise a vast majority of practitioners entering the specialty. Gender differences are noted in professional identity, work status, work settings, types of career satisfaction, and retirement expectations. Women are more likely to identify work environment and personal/family obstacles to aspects of career satisfaction. A gender pay gap was found at all time points and is not narrowing. As is true nationally, multiple factors appear related to the gender pay gap in clinical neuropsychology. Women in neuropsychology are now dominant in number, and their presence is strongly associated with specific practice patterns, such as greater institutional employment, less involvement in forensic practice, and strong involvement in pediatric practice, which may be maintaining the sizeable gender pay gap in neuropsychology. As the proportion of women neuropsychologists continues to increase, flexible work hours, and alternative means of remuneration may be needed to offset current disproportionate family-related responsibilities.

International growth of neuropsychology.

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Ponsford, Jennie

2017-11-01

Twenty-five years ago, the field of neuropsychology was well established in North America, Europe, and Australia, with less presence elsewhere. This article discusses the development of neuropsychology over the last 25 years in other regions. The growth of neuropsychology in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and New Zealand is reviewed. Sources drawn on include a 2016 edition of The Clinical Neuropsychologist describing the practice of neuropsychology in 18 countries; papers on the profession of neuropsychology in Latin America (Arango-Lasprilla, Stevens, Paredes, Ardila, & Rivera, 2016), the history of neuropsychology in Asia (Lee, Wang, & Collinson, 2016), and neuropsychology in Central America (Judd, 2017); INSNET; and personal communications. There has been tremendous variability in the development of neuropsychology across these regions over the last 25 years. Obstacles to the growth of neuropsychology have included economic constraints on health care provision, limited availability of appropriate assessment and treatment methods, linguistic diversity and illiteracy, stigma toward and/or lack of awareness of neuropsychological disorders, lack of graduate training and clinical supervision, absence of accreditation of neuropsychologists as a clinical profession, poor pay, and diminished visibility of the field within the regional culture. Despite these obstacles, neuropsychological research and practice is establishing itself in these regions and has grown significantly over the last quarter century. Major challenges remain in establishing awareness of the significance of and developing culturally appropriate methods of assessing and rehabilitating cognitive aspects of brain disorders, training programs, recognition as a profession, and dedicated funding for neuropsychology positions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Economics of Healthcare Shape the Practice of Neuropsychology in the Era of Integrated Healthcare.

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Pliskin, Neil H

2018-05-01

The healthcare system in the United States is in the midst of a major transformation that has affected all healthcare specialties, including clinical psychology/neuropsychology. If this shift in the economics of healthcare reimbursement continues, it promises to impact clinical practice patterns for neuropsychologists far into the next decade.

Considerations for Clinical Neuropsychological Evaluation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

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Woolley, Susan C; Rush, Beth K

2017-11-01

The clinical neuropsychologist has the opportunity to be uniquely involved in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We review the current literature that defines cognitive and behavioral symptoms in ALS, including current knowledge of the neuropathological and genetic underpinning for these symptoms. There are unique considerations for clinical neuropsychological evaluation and clinical research in ALS and we highlight these in this review. Specifically, we shed light on special factors that contribute to our understanding of cognitive and behavioral impairment in ALS, including co-morbid symptoms, differential diagnosis, and considerations for longitudinal tracking of phenotypes. We discuss the rationale for proposing a specific approach to such as cognitive screening, test selection, response modality consideration, and test-retest intervals. With this didactic overview, the clinical neuropsychologist has the potential to learn more about the heterogeneous presentation of motor and neuropsychological symptoms in ALS. Furthermore, the reader has the opportunity to understand what it takes to develop a valid assessment approach particularly when the phenotype of ALS remains undefined in some regards. This clinical practice review sets the stage for the clinical neuropsychologist to further contribute to our clinical and scientific understanding of ALS and cognition. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[History from neuropsychology to cognitive neurosciences in Argentina].

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Allegri, Ricardo F; Bagnatti, Pablo

2017-11-01

The first step from the neuropsychology in Argentina was in 1883 with the thesis of Antonio Piñeiro about the brain localization of the language and vision disorders, only few years after Broca. The aim of this work has been to describe the development of the neuropsychology in Argentina and its relation with the psychology, neurology and psychiatry. The first period was into the neurology with its French school in?uence. In 1907, Jose Ingeniero published in French his book about "amusia", Cristofredo Jakob the "folia neurobiologica" where he described the organization of the human brain, Vicente Dimitri in 1933 his book "aphasia" and Bernardo de Quiros in 1959 his works about dyslexia. The psychiatry at the hospices with the German influence from Jakob developed to the modern neuropsychiatry with Juan Carlos Goldar. The argentine school of psychology by the holism and the psychoanalysis influence do not accept the neuropsychology until 1960 where was included at the school of psychology from the university of Buenos Aires (UBA) with the first linguistics works of Juan Azcoaga. At the 80, began the North American influence of the neurology with authors like Carlos Mangone (dementia), Ramon Leiguarda (apraxia), Sergio Starkstein (depression and apathy) and Ricardo Allegri (memory and Alzheimer). In 1982 the Argentine Neuropsychological Society was founded and in 1987 was the working group of dementia from the Argentine Neurological Society. At this moment, Aldo Ferreres organized the chair of neuropsychology at the school of psychology (UBA). Nowadays, the growing as discipline is in context of the psychology, neurology and psychiatry in the way of the recent cognitive neurosciences.

Vygotsky in applied neuropsychology

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Glozman J. M.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aims of this paper are: 1 to show the role of clinical experience for the theoretical contributions of L.S. Vygotsky, and 2 to analyze the development of these theories in contemporary applied neuropsychology. An analysis of disturbances of mental functioning is impossible without a systemic approach to the evidence observed. Therefore, medical psychology is fundamental for forming a systemic approach to psychology. The assessment of neurological patients at the neurological hospital of Moscow University permitted L.S. Vygotsky to create, in collaboration with A.R. Luria, the theory of systemic dynamic localization of higher mental functions and their relationship to cultural conditions. In his studies of patients with Parkinson’s disease, Vygotsky also set out 3 steps of systemic development: interpsychological, then extrapsychological, then intrapsychological. L.S. Vygotsky and A.R. Luria in the late 1920s created a program to compensate for the motor subcortical disturbances in Parkinson’s disease (PD through a cortical (visual mediation of movements. We propose to distinguish the objective mediating factors — like teaching techniques and modalities — from subjective mediating factors, like the individual’s internal representation of his/her own disease. The cultural-historical approach in contemporary neuropsychology forces neuropsychologists to re-analyze and re-interpret the classic neuropsychological syndromes; to develop new assessment procedures more in accordance with the patient’s conditions of life; and to reconsider the concept of the social brain as a social and cultural determinant and regulator of brain functioning. L.S. Vygotsky and A.R. Luria proved that a defect interferes with a child’s appropriation of his/her culture, but cultural means can help the child overcome the defect. In this way, the cultural-historical approach became, and still is, a methodological basis for remedial education.

Taxonomy for Education and Training in Clinical Neuropsychology: past, present, and future.

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Sperling, Scott A; Cimino, Cynthia R; Stricker, Nikki H; Heffelfinger, Amy K; Gess, Jennifer L; Osborn, Katie E; Roper, Brad L

2017-07-01

Historically, the clinical neuropsychology training community has not clearly or consistently defined education or training opportunities. The lack of consistency has limited students' and trainees' ability to accurately assess and compare the intensity of neuropsychology-specific training provided by programs. To address these issues and produce greater 'truth in advertising' across programs, CNS, with SCN's Education Advisory Committee (EAC), ADECN, AITCN, and APPCN constructed a specialty-specific taxonomy, namely, the Taxonomy for Education and Training in Clinical Neuropsychology. The taxonomy provides consensus in the description of training offered by doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral programs, as well as at the post-licensure stage. Although the CNS approved the taxonomy in February 2015, many programs have not adopted its language. Increased awareness of the taxonomy and the reasons behind its development and structure, as well as its potential benefits, are warranted. In 2016, a working group of clinical neuropsychologists from the EAC and APPCN, all authors of this manuscript, was created and tasked with disseminating information about the taxonomy. Group members held regular conference calls, leading to the generation of this manuscript. This manuscript is the primary byproduct of the working group. Its purpose is to (1) outline the history behind the development of the taxonomy, (2) detail its structure and utility, (3) address the expected impact of its adoption, and (4) call for its adoption across training programs. This manuscript outlines the development and structure of the clinical neuropsychology taxonomy and addresses the need for its adoption across training programs.

Syndromic analysis in child neuropsychology: A case study

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Solovieva Yu.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Neuropsychology is a science with its own specific concepts, terms, and methods of analysis of disturbances in psychological development. One of the essential concepts of neuropsychological methodology, according to A.R. Luria, is that of a neuropsychological syndrome, which takes into account both the functional organization of the brain and the behavioral system. However, this concept isn’t mentioned in the majority of his publications, and thus is not well known by neuropsychologists. There is no clear understanding of this concept within the works of modern neuropsychologists. This omission has a strong influence on the way analysis and interpretation of developmental difficulties is carried out today. Objective. The objective of this study is to present an example of the successful application of qualitative syndromic analysis to the case of a Mexican preschool child with developmental problems and learning disabilities. Design. The clinical analysis was applied to the case of a 6 year old girl with learning disabilities, whose difficulties had been attributed primarily to a low level of general brain activation. Results. The authors assert that the advantages of A.R. Luria’s syndromic approach to clinical cases of difficulties in development and learning disabilities, are that it opens up the potential for finding the general causes on different levels: neuronal maturation, brain mechanisms, activity and personality. Conclusion. The authors conclude that the topic of syndromic analysis in child neuropsychology requires further scientific discussion. The necessity for revising levels of analysis of clinical cases should be taken in account.

Women's leadership in neuropsychology: historical perspectives, present trends, and future directions.

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Sachs, Bonnie C; Benitez, Andreana; Buelow, Melissa T; Gooding, Amanda; Schaefer, Lynn A; Sim, Anita H; Tussey, Chriscelyn M; Shear, Paula K

2018-02-01

Although psychology has become a female-dominated field, this pattern of gender representation has not held true within the specialty of neuropsychology. In recent years more women have been pursuing careers in neuropsychology, and while the balance of male and female neuropsychologists as a whole has shifted, it is unclear whether the gender composition of leadership has also changed. Our goal was to survey various neuropsychological organizations, training programs, editorial boards, and organizations granting board certification to determine the current gender composition of leadership positions within neuropsychology. A literature review was conducted to examine past trends of gender composition in neuropsychology, psychology, medicine, and academia. Data on current gender compositions of the field were culled from publicly available websites and through personal communication with representatives from major psychological and neuropsychological organizations. We found that the overall composition of the field has changed over time, but notable gender disparities in leadership positions remain. Women still comprise the minority of leadership positions within most neuropsychological organizations, editorial boards for neuropsychology journals, and fellow positions in major neuropsychological organizations. More equitable representation has been achieved in the directorships of training programs and ABPP/ABCN board certification. We review the historical trends in gender discrepancies in leadership in neuropsychology and discuss these within the broader arenas of academia, research, and medicine. We conclude with a summary addressing potential causes for these discrepancies, including work-life balance issues, discrimination, institutional bias, and various other factors. We also provide pragmatic suggestions to help address these continued disparities.

Psychiatric and neuropsychological issues in Marfan syndrome: A critical review of the literature.

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Gritti, Antonella; Pisano, Simone; Catone, Gennaro; Iuliano, Raffaella; Salvati, Tiziana; Gritti, Paolo

2015-01-01

The cooccurrence of Marfan syndrome and psychiatric disorders has been reported for many years. Furthermore, neuropsychological deficits have been shown to be associated with Marfan syndrome. The aim of the present article is to summarize findings from the sparse studies and case reports available. The results hold clinical and therapeutic implications and suggest that psychological and neuropsychological domains in Marfan syndrome patients should be carefully assessed. In particular, some patients may require specific rehabilitation programs. On this basis, a multidisciplinary approach to Marfan syndrome treatment seems mandatory. © The Author(s) 2015.

Is Visual Imagery Really Visual? Overlooked Evidence from Neuropsychology.

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1987-08-07

the study of imagery. British Journal of Psychology, 47 101-114 Bauer,R. M.. & Rubens. A B (1985). Agnosia In K. M. Heilman & E. Valenstein (Ed Clinical...Neuropsychology. New York: Oxford University Press. 2nd edition. Beauvois. M.F . & Saillant. B (1985) Optic aphasia for colours and colour agnosia A...integrative visual agnosia . Brain, Roland. P.E. (1982). Cortical regulation of selective attention in man. Journal of Neuroohysiology, 48. 1059-1078

Computerized Neuropsychological Assessment Devices: Joint Position Paper of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology and the National Academy of Neuropsychology†

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Bauer, Russell M.; Iverson, Grant L.; Cernich, Alison N.; Binder, Laurence M.; Ruff, Ronald M.; Naugle, Richard I.

2012-01-01

This joint position paper of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology and the National Academy of Neuropsychology sets forth our position on appropriate standards and conventions for computerized neuropsychological assessment devices (CNADs). In this paper, we first define CNADs and distinguish them from examiner-administered neuropsychological instruments. We then set forth position statements on eight key issues relevant to the development and use of CNADs in the healthcare setting. These statements address (a) device marketing and performance claims made by developers of CNADs; (b) issues involved in appropriate end-users for administration and interpretation of CNADs; (c) technical (hardware/software/firmware) issues; (d) privacy, data security, identity verification, and testing environment; (e) psychometric development issues, especially reliability, and validity; (f) cultural, experiential, and disability factors affecting examinee interaction with CNADs; (g) use of computerized testing and reporting services; and (h) the need for checks on response validity and effort in the CNAD environment. This paper is intended to provide guidance for test developers and users of CNADs that will promote accurate and appropriate use of computerized tests in a way that maximizes clinical utility and minimizes risks of misuse. The positions taken in this paper are put forth with an eye toward balancing the need to make validated CNADs accessible to otherwise underserved patients with the need to ensure that such tests are developed and utilized competently, appropriately, and with due concern for patient welfare and quality of care. PMID:22382386

The use of psychometrists in clinical neuropsychology: history, current status, and future directions.

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Malek-Ahmadi, Michael; Erickson, Tom; Puente, Antonio E; Pliskin, Neil; Rock, Rachel

2012-01-01

In recent years, the National Academy of Neuropsychology and other professional neuropsychological organizations have published a number of articles and position papers regarding the use, education, and training of psychometrists ("technicians"). Although these documents provide guidelines for the suggested qualifications and training procedures of psychometrists, none make any mention of the need for a standardized credentialing process, which is commonly required of technicians in similar fields, especially in medical settings. Given the recent changes in current procedural Terminology codes used to bill for neuropsychological services and the interpretation of legislation disallowing the use of psychometrists in New York, the need for a standard credential for psychometrists is apparent. This article will review the history and current use of psychometrists in clinical neuropsychology and highlight the need and rationale for the credentialing of psychometrists.

Neuropsychological effects and attitudes in patients following electroconvulsive therapy

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Feliu, Miriam; Edwards, Christopher L; Sudhakar, Shiv; McDougald, Camela; Raynor, Renee; Johnson, Stephanie; Byrd, Goldie; Whitfield, Keith; Jonassaint, Charles; Romero, Heather; Edwards, Lekisha; Wellington, Chante?; Hill, LaBarron K; Sollers, James; Logue, Patrick E

2008-01-01

The current study examined the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on neuropsychological test performance. Forty-six patients completed brief neuropsychological and psychological testing before and after receiving ECT for the treatment of recalcitrant and severe depression. Neuropsychological testing consisted of the Levin Selective Reminding Test (Levin) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Edition (WMS-R). Self-report measures included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Short-Term...

[The neuroanatomy of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: neuropsychological and clinical correlates].

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Albert, J; Fernandez-Jaen, A; Martin Fernandez-Mayoralas, D; Lopez-Martin, S; Fernandez-Perrone, A L; Calleja-Perez, B; Jimenez-De la Pena, M; Recio-Rodriguez, M

2016-07-16

The development of structural magnetic resonance scanning and new methods of analysis has made it possible to explore, in a hitherto unknown way, the neuroanatomical bases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Yet, little is known about the relation between the clinical symptoms and the neuropsychological dysfunctions characterising ADHD and the neuroanatomical alterations that are observed. To explore the relation between neuroanatomy, clinical features and neuropsychology in ADHD. At group level, there are a number of marked differences between the brain of children, adolescents and adults with ADHD and the brain of subjects with a typical development. These differences are observed cross-sectionally and longitudinally in all the measurements, both in the grey matter and in the white matter. Although still scarce, there is an increasing body of evidence showing that these differences are related with the core symptoms of the disorder and with the degree of clinical dysfunction. They also appear to be associated with cognitive functioning (mainly attention and inhibitory control). The relation among the different levels of analysis in the study of ADHD bring research closer to the clinical features and allows a better understanding and management of the disorder. Although progress is undoubtedly being made in this field, there are still many questions that need exploring in greater depth. There is a need for a better understanding of the association between the neuroanatomical measurements and each dimension of the symptoms, and their relationship with other neuropsychological processes that are also involved in the disorder.

Board certification in professional psychology: promoting competency and consumer protection.

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Cox, David R

2010-04-01

Board certification in psychology provides an opportunity for increased assessment of and demonstration of competence in the profession. In addition to serving as a means of consumer protection, it can serve the professional psychologist by providing the opportunity for increased income, professional satisfaction, facilitated mobility, and professional development. Jurisdictional and organizational recognition of the importance of board certification is increasing. This article uses the model and experience of the American Board of Professional Psychology, with particular attention to the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology and the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, to illustrate these benefits. Recent developments regarding board certification are described, as well as how to become involved in the process.

[Neuropsychology of dreams].

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Tirapu-Ustarroz, J

2012-07-16

Dreams are a universal human experience and studying them from the point of view of neuroscience, consciousness, emotions and cognition is quite a challenge for researchers. Thus, dreams have been addressed from a number of different perspectives ranging from philosophy to clinical medicine, as well as psychiatry, psychology, artificial intelligence, neural network models, psychophysiology or neurobiology. The main models are grounded on the biological function of dreams, especially those based on processes involving the consolidation of memory and forgetting, and models of simulation. Similarly, current models are developed upon the neurobiology and the neuropsychology of the REM phases of sleep and how they are differentiated from wakefulness. Thus, neurobiologically speaking, dreams are related to the role of acetylcholine and, neuropsychologically, to the activation of the limbic and paralimbic regions, the activation of the basal ganglia, the activation of cortical areas with a specific modality (especially Brodmann's areas 19, 22 and 37) and the deactivation of the ventromedial, parietal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate. Dreams can be considered a state of consciousness that is characterised by a reduced control over their content, visual images and activation of the memory, and which is mediated by motivational incentives and emotional salience.

Neuropsychological and cognitive processes in reading

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Pirozzolo, Francis J

2013-01-01

Neuropsychological and Cognitive Processes in Reading explores reading and reading disabilities within the context of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. Emphasis is on the roles of brain mechanisms in reading and reading disturbances. In the areas of perception and cognition, theoretical models of the reading process are used to highlight the various psychological processes involved in the act of skilled reading. Comprised of 12 chapters, this volume begins with an introduction to the fundamental processes of reading, giving particular attention to a psychological theory that builds on two concepts: that the basic processes of reading are few in number, and that they are separable from one another. A useful and testable information-processing model of reading that consists of three separable, fundamental processes - decoding, word meaning, and sentence comprehension - is described. Subsequent chapters deal with some of the external and internal factors involved in reading; a model of disorders of readi...

Predicting Arithmetical Achievement from Neuro-Psychological Performance: A Longitudinal Study.

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Fayol, Michel; Barrouillet, Pierre; Marinthe, Catherine

1998-01-01

Assessed whether performances of 5- and 6-year olds in arithmetic tests can be predicted from their performances in neuropsychological tests. Participants completed neuropsychological, drawing, and arithmetic tests at 5 and 6 years of age. Findings at older age were correctly assumed by conclusions of first evaluation. (LBT)

Neuropsychology in India.

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Kumar, J Keshav; Sadasivan, Akila

2016-11-01

This is an invited paper for a special issue with the objective to provide information on neuropsychology in India. Information was gathered from a literature search and personal communication with professionals working in the field of neuropsychology. Neuropsychology as a specialization started in India approximately 40 years ago. The early years witnessed the use of Western tools for assessing patients with organic brain damage. Subsequent years saw the development of indigenous tools for use with the vast majority of the Indian population and also a few Western tests adapted to suit the needs of the unique Indian clientele. The starting of the Neuropsychology unit at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore in 1975 resulted in changing of the course of training and practice of Neuropsychology. The field of assessments has witnessed indigenous tests being developed, while rehabilitation programs have brought about a decline in cognitive deficits in several clinical conditions. Currently, work within the field of neuropsychology has focused on child, geriatric, acquired brain injury, and forensic populations with a development of unique rehabilitations to suit needs of several clinical conditions. However, there are very few neuropsychologists in the country, and only one nodal training center, which limits the availability of training to the large population of the country. Despite the shortcomings, the field of neuropsychology has received much attention in the recent years with the number of referrals and professionals increasing.

Neuropsychological testing.

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Zucchella, Chiara; Federico, Angela; Martini, Alice; Tinazzi, Michele; Bartolo, Michelangelo; Tamburin, Stefano

2018-06-01

Neuropsychological testing is a key diagnostic tool for assessing people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, but can also help in other neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy. While cognitive screening tests offer gross information, detailed neuropsychological evaluation can provide data on different cognitive domains (visuospatial function, memory, attention, executive function, language and praxis) as well as neuropsychiatric and behavioural features. We should regard neuropsychological testing as an extension of the neurological examination applied to higher order cortical function, since each cognitive domain has an anatomical substrate. Ideally, neurologists should discuss the indications and results of neuropsychological assessment with a clinical neuropsychologist. This paper summarises the rationale, indications, main features, most common tests and pitfalls in neuropsychological evaluation. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Distinguished Neuropsychologist Award Lecture 1999. The lesion(s) in traumatic brain injury: implications for clinical neuropsychology.

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Bigler, E D

2001-02-01

This paper overviews the current status of neuroimaging in neuropsychological outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The pathophysiology of TBI is reviewed and integrated with expected neuroimaging and neuropsychological findings. The integration of clinical and quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) imaging is the main topic of review, but these findings are integrated with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Various clinical caveats are offered for the clinician.

Empirical Derivation and Validation of a Clinical Case Definition for Neuropsychological Impairment in Children and Adolescents.

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Beauchamp, Miriam H; Brooks, Brian L; Barrowman, Nick; Aglipay, Mary; Keightley, Michelle; Anderson, Peter; Yeates, Keith O; Osmond, Martin H; Zemek, Roger

2015-09-01

Neuropsychological assessment aims to identify individual performance profiles in multiple domains of cognitive functioning; however, substantial variation exists in how deficits are defined and what cutoffs are used, and there is no universally accepted definition of neuropsychological impairment. The aim of this study was to derive and validate a clinical case definition rule to identify neuropsychological impairment in children and adolescents. An existing normative pediatric sample was used to calculate base rates of abnormal functioning on eight measures covering six domains of neuropsychological functioning. The dataset was analyzed by varying the range of cutoff levels [1, 1.5, and 2 standard deviations (SDs) below the mean] and number of indicators of impairment. The derived rule was evaluated by bootstrap, internal and external clinical validation (orthopedic and traumatic brain injury). Our neuropsychological impairment (NPI) rule was defined as "two or more test scores that fall 1.5 SDs below the mean." The rule identifies 5.1% of the total sample as impaired in the assessment battery and consistently targets between 3 and 7% of the population as impaired even when age, domains, and number of tests are varied. The NPI rate increases in groups known to exhibit cognitive deficits. The NPI rule provides a psychometrically derived method for interpreting performance across multiple tests and may be used in children 6-18 years. The rule may be useful to clinicians and scientists who wish to establish whether specific individuals or clinical populations present within expected norms versus impaired function across a battery of neuropsychological tests.

Performance Validity Testing in Neuropsychology: Scientific Basis and Clinical Application-A Brief Review.

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Greher, Michael R; Wodushek, Thomas R

2017-03-01

Performance validity testing refers to neuropsychologists' methodology for determining whether neuropsychological test performances completed in the course of an evaluation are valid (ie, the results of true neurocognitive function) or invalid (ie, overly impacted by the patient's effort/engagement in testing). This determination relies upon the use of either standalone tests designed for this sole purpose, or specific scores/indicators embedded within traditional neuropsychological measures that have demonstrated this utility. In response to a greater appreciation for the critical role that performance validity issues play in neuropsychological testing and the need to measure this variable to the best of our ability, the scientific base for performance validity testing has expanded greatly over the last 20 to 30 years. As such, the majority of current day neuropsychologists in the United States use a variety of measures for the purpose of performance validity testing as part of everyday forensic and clinical practice and address this issue directly in their evaluations. The following is the first article of a 2-part series that will address the evolution of performance validity testing in the field of neuropsychology, both in terms of the science as well as the clinical application of this measurement technique. The second article of this series will review performance validity tests in terms of methods for development of these measures, and maximizing of diagnostic accuracy.

Relationship between self-reported cognitive difficulties, objective neuropsychological test performance and psychological distress in chronic pain.

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Baker, K S; Gibson, S J; Georgiou-Karistianis, N; Giummarra, M J

2018-03-01

Persons with chronic pain often report problems with cognitive abilities, such as memory or attention. There is limited understanding of whether objective performance is consistent with subjective reports, and how psychological factors contribute. We aimed to investigate these relationships in a group of patients expressing cognitive concerns, and evaluate the utility of self-report tools for pain management settings. Participants with chronic pain (n = 41) completed standardized neuropsychological tests, and self-report measures of cognitive functioning, pain, mood and sleep, as part of a broader study investigating cognitive performance in pain. Average neuropsychological test performance was subtly below normative means (within one standard deviation). Twenty-five percent of the sample scored substantially below age-adjusted norms on one or more objective tests. There were moderate-to-large associations between objective performance (e.g. Trail-Making B) and subjective cognitive complaints (e.g. Everyday Memory Questionnaire - Revised), controlling for age and education level. This was moderated by anxiety, such that subjective-objective relationships were particularly strong in those with higher anxiety. Poorer test performance was associated with higher pain intensity and catastrophizing. Subjective-objective cognition relationships remained after controlling for catastrophizing. Patients' self-reported cognitive concerns concurred with objectively measured performance, independent of age, education and catastrophizing. Moreover, those with severe anxiety were more accurate in predicting their cognitive performance. The findings highlight some interesting cognition-mood relationships, and suggest that easy-to-administer questionnaires, such as the Everyday Memory Questionnaire - Revised and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult Version, may be useful to capture cognitive concerns in clinical settings. Cognitive concerns in chronic pain

Long-Term Neuropsychological Outcome in Preterm Twins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Iannone

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Few long-term studies have yet described neuropsychological outcome in preterm twins. Our aim was to assess, by long-term evaluation, neuropsychological outcome in preterm twins in order to define a correct follow-up program. Our study was a cohort one, with an index and a comparison group. Neonatal medical records of all preterm newborns admitted to our centre between 1991 and 1997 were reviewed and selected patients were recalled. The sample population included two matched groups of children aged 6—12 years, 86 twins and 86 singletons, submitted to paediatric, neurological, psychological, and ophthalmological examinations. Inclusion criteria were twin pregnancy and gestational age 27—36 weeks for index group; same gestational age, but single pregnancy, for the comparison group. All children underwent paediatric and neuropsychiatric examinations, cognitive assessment, and psychological evaluation by standardized tests for screening of learning specific disorders and language difficulties, and finally, ophthalmological examination. In order to study their role in predicting neuropsychological outcome, we examined some perinatal prognostic factors by statistical analysis. Unfavourable neuropsychological outcome was observed in 55/172 (32% children, with different prevalence in the two groups, 42/172 (24% in twins and 13/172 (8% in singletons. Statistical analysis performed for examined prognostic factors showed significant differences in neuropsychological outcome with regard only to gestational age < 32 weeks, low birth weight, intraventricular haemorrhage, and periventricular leukomalacia. The incidence of neuropsychological diseases in the two groups showed significant difference about language and learning difficulties. Our data suggest that preterm twins represent a particular high-risk category of premature babies, mostly regarding the risk of so-called “minimal brain dysfunction”, so a careful follow-up is recommended.

Patients with epilepsy and patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: video-EEG, clinical and neuropsychological evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Katherine; Piazzini, Ada; Chiesa, Valentina; Barbieri, Valentina; Vignoli, Aglaia; Gardella, Elena; Tisi, Giuseppe; Scarone, Silvio; Canevini, Maria Paola; Gambini, Orsola

2011-11-01

The incidence of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) is 4.9/100,000/year and it is estimated that about 20-30% of patients referred to tertiary care epilepsy centers for refractory seizures have both epilepsy and PNES. The purpose of our study is to evaluate psychiatric disorders and neuropsychological functions among patients with PNES, patients with epilepsy associated with PNES and patients with epilepsy. We evaluated 66 consecutive in-patients with video-EEG recordings: 21 patients with epilepsy, 22 patients with PNES and 10 patients with epilepsy associated with PNES; 13 patients were excluded (8 because of mental retardation and 5 because they did not present seizures or PNES during the recording period). All patients with PNES had a psychiatric diagnosis (100%) vs. 52% of patients with epilepsy. Cluster B personality disorders were more common in patients with PNES. We observed fewer mood and anxiety disorders in patients with PNES compared with those with epilepsy. We did not find statistically significant differences in neuropsychological profiles among the 3 patient groups. This study can help to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of PNES manifestations, in addition to the occurrence of seizures, in order to provide patients with more appropriate clinical, psychological and social care. Copyright © 2011 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current status of psychology and clinical psychology in India - an appraisal.

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Virudhagirinathan, Baboo Sankar; Karunanidhi, Subbiah

2014-10-01

This paper provides an overview of the social and cultural context for the emergence and development of psychology in India and also more specifically of the development of clinical psychology. It details the range of universities offering psychology programmes and the various bodies involved in supporting the development of the psychology. The paper also describes the development of clinical psychology in India and the variety of roles undertaken by clinical psychologists. Finally, it raises a number of issues facing the development of Indian psychology into the future.

2015 American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) student affairs committee survey of neuropsychology trainees.

Science.gov (United States)

Whiteside, Douglas M; Guidotti Breting, Leslie M; Butts, Alissa M; Hahn-Ketter, Amanda E; Osborn, Katie; Towns, Stephanie J; Barisa, Mark; Santos, Octavio A; Smith, Daniel

2016-07-01

Surveys of practicing neuropsychologists have been conducted for years; however, there have been no comprehensive surveys of neuropsychology trainees, which may result in important issues being overlooked by the profession. This survey assessed trainees' experiences in areas such as student debt, professional development, and training satisfaction. Survey items were written by a task force of the AACN Student Affairs Committee (SAC), and neuropsychology trainees were recruited via neuropsychology-focused listservs. In total, 344 trainees completed the survey (75% female) and included participants from every region of the US and Canada. Based on the survey questions, nearly half of all trainees (47%) indicated financial factors were the greatest limitation in their training. Student debt had a bimodal distribution; 32.7% had minimal debt, but 45% had debt >$100,000. In contrast, expected starting salaries were modest, but consistent with findings ($80-100,000). While almost all trainees intended to pursue board certification (97% through ABPP), many were 'not at all' or only 'somewhat' familiar with the process. Results indicated additional critical concerns beyond those related to debt and lack of familiarity with board certification procedures. The results will inform SAC conference programming and the profession on the current 'state of the trainees' in neuropsychology.

The provision of neuropsychological services in rural/regional settings: professional and ethical issues.

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Allott, Kelly; Lloyd, Susan

2009-07-01

Despite rapid growth of the discipline of clinical neuropsychology during recent times, there is limited information regarding the identification and management of professional and ethical issues associated with the practice of neuropsychology within rural settings. The aim of this article is to outline the characteristics unique to practicing neuropsychology in rural communities and to describe the potential professional and ethical dilemmas that might arise. Issues are illustrated using examples from neuropsychological practice in a rural/regional setting in Victoria, Australia. Relative to urban regions, there is an inequality in the distribution of psychologists, including neuropsychologists, in rural areas. The unique characteristics of rural and regional communities that impact on neuropsychological practice are: 1) limited resources in expertise, technology, and community services, 2) greater travel distances and costs, 3) professional isolation, and 4) beliefs about psychological services. These characteristics lower the threshold for particular ethical issues. The ethical issues that require anticipation and careful management include: 1) professional competence, 2) multiple relationships, and 3) confidentiality. Through increased awareness and management of rural-specific professional and ethical issues, rural neuropsychologists can experience their work as rewarding and enjoyable. Specific guidelines for identifying, managing, and resolving ethically and professionally challenging situations that may arise during rural practice are provided.

Psychological Assessment Training in Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs.

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Mihura, Joni L; Roy, Manali; Graceffo, Robert A

2017-01-01

We surveyed American Psychological Association-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs' (n = 83) training in psychological assessment-specifically, their coverage of various assessment topics and tests in courses and practica, and whether the training was optional or required. We report results overall and separately per training model (clinical science, scientist-practitioner, and practitioner-focused). Overall, our results suggest that psychological assessment training is as active, or even more active, than in previous years. Areas of increased emphasis include clinical interviewing and psychometrics; multimethod, outcomes, health, and collaborative or therapeutic assessment; and different types of cognitive and self-report personality tests. All or almost all practice-focused programs offered training with the Thematic Apperception Test and Rorschach compared to about half of the scientist-practitioner programs and a third of the clinical science programs. Although almost all programs reported teaching multimethod assessment, what constitutes different methods of assessing psychopathology should be clarified in future studies because many programs appear to rely on one method-self-report (especially clinical science programs). Although doctoral programs covered many assessment topics and tests in didactic courses, there appears to be a shortage of program-run opportunities for students to obtain applied assessment training. Finally, we encourage doctoral programs to be familiar with (a) internships' assessment expectations and opportunities, (b) the professional guidelines for assessment training, and (c) the American Psychological Association's requirements for preinternship assessment competencies.

Clinical and neuropsychological features of violence in schizophrenia: A prospective cohort study.

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Bulgari, Viola; Iozzino, Laura; Ferrari, Clarissa; Picchioni, Marco; Candini, Valentina; De Francesco, Alessandra; Maggi, Paolo; Segalini, Beatrice; de Girolamo, Giovanni

2017-03-01

The increased risk of violence in schizophrenia has been linked to several environmental, clinical and neuropsychological factors, including executive dysfunction. However, data about the nature of these effects are mixed and controversial. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between clinical and neuropsychological factors with violence risk in patients with schizophrenia, taking into account current psychopathology and lifetime alcohol use. We compared a sample of patients living in Residential Facilities (RFs) with schizophrenia and a past history of interpersonal violence (vSZ, N=50) to patients with schizophrenia matched on age, gender and alcohol abuse/dependence but with no violence history (nvSZ, N=37). We then established the association between the clinical and neuropsychological factors that predicted violence over a 1year follow-up period. The results revealed that vSZ patients living in RFs were characterized by greater compulsory hospital admissions, higher anger and less negative symptoms as compared to nvSZ patients. vSZ patients performed better on executive and motor tasks than nvSZ; however, these differences appeared to be explained by the lower negative psychotic symptom in the vSZ group. Both groups were involved in episodes of violence during the follow-up period; among the two, the vSZ patients were more likely to be violent. Negative symptoms predicted less verbal aggression at 1year follow-up. Overall, these findings support a key role of negative rather than positive symptoms in driving violence risk among SZ patients living in RFs, in a manner that negative symptoms are linked to a lower risk of violence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychological functioning related to specific characteristics of nocturnal enuresis.

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Van Herzeele, C; Dhondt, K; Roels, S P; Raes, A; Groen, L-A; Hoebeke, P; Walle, J Vande

2015-08-01

There is a high comorbidity demonstrated in the literature between nocturnal enuresis and several neuropsychological dysfunctions, with special emphasis on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the majority of the psychological studies did not include full non-invasive screening and failed to differentiate between monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) and non-MNE patients. The present study primarily aimed to investigate the association between nocturnal enuresis and (neuro)psychological functioning in a selective homogeneous patient group, namely: children with MNE and associated nocturnal polyuria (NP). Secondly, the study investigated the association between specific characteristics of nocturnal enuresis (maximum voided volume, number of wet nights and number of nights with NP) and ADHD-inattentive symptoms, executive functioning and quality of life. The psychological measurements were multi-informant (parents, children and teachers) and multi-method (questionnaires, clinical interviews and neuropsychological testing). Thirty children aged 6-16 years (mean 10.43 years, SD 3.08) were included. Of them, 80% had at least one psychological, motor or neurological difficulty. The comorbid diagnosis of ADHD, especially the predominantly inattentive presentation, was most common. According to the teachers, a low maximum voided volume (corrected for age) was associated with more attention problems, and a high number of nights with NP was associated with more behaviour-regulation problems. No significant correlations were found between specific characteristics of enuresis and quality of life. Details are demonstrated in Table. The children were recruited from a tertiary referral centre, which resulted in selection bias. Moreover, NP was defined as a urine output exceeding 100% of the expected bladder capacity for age (EBC), and not according to the expert-opinion-based International Children's Continence Society norm of 130% of EBC. The definition

Theoretical Relevance of Neuropsychological Data for Connectionist Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauricio Iza

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The symbolic information-processing paradigm in cognitive psychology has met a growing challenge from neural network models over the past two decades. While neuropsychological
evidence has been of great utility to theories concerned with information processing, the real question is, whether the less rigid connectionist models provide valid, or enough, information
concerning complex cognitive structures. In this work, we will discuss the theoretical implications that neuropsychological data posits for modelling cognitive systems.

Toward a unified theory of childhood trauma and psychosis: A comprehensive review of epidemiological, clinical, neuropsychological and biological findings.

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Misiak, Błażej; Krefft, Maja; Bielawski, Tomasz; Moustafa, Ahmed A; Sąsiadek, Maria M; Frydecka, Dorota

2017-04-01

There is a growing body of research focused on the relationship between childhood trauma and the risk of developing psychosis. Numerous studies, including many large-scale population-based studies, controlling for possible mediating variables, provide persuasive evidence of a dose-response association and are indicative of a causal relationship. Existing evidence supports the specificity model, showing differential associations between particular adversities and clinical symptoms, with cumulative adversity causing less favorable clinical and functional outcomes in psychotic patients. To date, several psychological and biological models have been proposed to search for underlying developmental trajectories leading to the onset of psychosis, influencing psychopathological manifestation and negative functional outcomes due to a history of childhood trauma. In this article, we provide a unified review on the relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis by integrating results of epidemiological, clinical, neuropsychological and biological studies. The question whether psychosis with a positive history of childhood trauma should be considered as a new psychotic phenotype, requiring specific therapeutic interventions, warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The neuropsychology of prodromal schizophrenia. Brief review and proposal of a tests battery for clinical use].

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Valgimigli, Simona; Padovani, Roberto; Donati, Cristina; Mazzi, Fausto

2013-01-01

The study of the neuropsychological profile of schizophrenic patients has provided systematic results in linking specific deficit (working memory, verbal learning, attentive and executive functioning, social cognition) to the functional outcome of subjects. More recently this approach has been applied to younger subjects, from the age of 14, that show prodromal signs of a possible psychotic conversion (ultra-risk subjects). The review is at first intended to describe the clinical and experimental studies that investigated the cognitive and neuropsychological profile of subjects at ultra-risk for psychosis. These studies show the presence of minor cognitive difficulties in several specific areas (working memory, verbal learning, attentive and executive functioning) that can be indicative of both a possible conversion to psychosis and a need for cognitive remediation programs. Secondarily, the article describes several neuropsychological tools, standardized for the Italian population, that can be used to approach the clinical assessment of ultra-risk subjects considering some critical aspects such as their typical age range (adolescents and young adults).

Revisioning Clinical Psychology: Integrating Cultural Psychology into Clinical Research and Practice with Portuguese Immigrants

OpenAIRE

James, Susan; Harris, Sara; Foster, Gary; Clarke, Juanne; Gadermann, Anne; Morrison, Marie; Bezanson, Birdie Jane

2013-01-01

This article outlines a model for conducting psychotherapy with people of diverse cultural backgrounds. The theoretical foundation for the model is based on clinical and cultural psychology. Cultural psychology integrates psychology and anthropology in order to provide a complex understanding of both culture and the individual within his or her cultural context. The model proposed in this article is also based on our clinical experience and mixed method research with the Portuguese communi...

Postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology in America: how did we get here and where do recent applicants suggest we go next?

Science.gov (United States)

Bodin, Doug; Butts, Alissa M; Grote, Christopher L

2016-11-01

The United States appears to be the only country which typically requires completion of a two-year postdoctoral fellowship for one to be considered competent to practice clinical neuropsychology. We review the history of how this came to be in the United States. Further, we describe obstacles that postdoctoral trainees face during this stage of training. We first describe the most significant events leading to the requirement of a two-year fellowship in clinical neuropsychology. Next, we describe factors that trainees face when selecting and completing postdoctoral training. Finally, we review the results of the most recent annual survey of applicants for postdoctoral training to measure their experiences. Postdoctoral training in the United States is a relatively recent requirement in neuropsychology. Trainees face many obstacles when obtaining a postdoctoral position some of which can be addressed by the field. Training in Clinical Neuropsychology in the United States has evolved considerably over at least the last 45 or so years to the point that a two-year postdoctoral fellowship is now required for one to be a candidate for board certification through the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology. We review many of the challenges that postdoctoral trainees face and provide survey data to describe their experiences and preferences.

A critical evaluation of the validity of episodic future thinking: A clinical neuropsychology perspective.

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Ward, Amanda M

2016-11-01

Episodic future thinking is defined as the ability to mentally simulate a future event. Although episodic future thinking has been studied extensively in neuroscience, this construct has not been explored in depth from the perspective of clinical neuropsychology. The aim of this critical narrative review is to assess the validity and clinical implications of episodic future thinking. A systematic review of episodic future thinking literature was conducted. PubMed and PsycInfo were searched through July 2015 for review and empirical articles with the following search terms: "episodic future thinking," "future mental simulation," "imagining the future," "imagining new experiences," "future mental time travel," "future autobiographical experience," and "prospection." The review discusses evidence that episodic future thinking is important for adaptive functioning, which has implications for neurological populations. To determine the validity of episodic future thinking, the construct is evaluated with respect to related constructs, such as imagination, episodic memory, autobiographical memory, prospective memory, narrative construction, and working memory. Although it has been minimally investigated, there is evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for episodic future thinking. Research has not addressed the incremental validity of episodic future thinking. Practical considerations of episodic future thinking tasks and related constructs in a clinical neuropsychological setting are considered. The utility of episodic future thinking is currently unknown due to the lack of research investigating the validity of episodic future thinking. Future work is discussed, which could determine whether episodic future thinking is an important missing piece in standard clinical neuropsychological assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Cyber-Neuropsychology: application of new technologies in neuropsychological evaluation.

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Bernardo-Ramos, Mercedes; Franco-Martín, Manuel A; Soto-Pérez, Felipe

2012-01-01

Neuropsychological evaluation deals with the study of cerebral functioning through the persons' performance. It makes it possible to collaborate the clinical diagnosis and to provide information on deficit and skills. Specialized care in rural environments is uncommon, and often means impossibility to access some services. This study has aimed to evaluate the possibility of using neuropsychological evaluation by internet videoconferences. Our research was based on the traditional and online application of the SCIP-S to 30 subjects who were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The 30 subjects were randomly divided into two groups (Group A and B). Both groups underwent the two conditions inversely. The results show some differences and similarities when the results in both types of applications SCIP-S are compared. In conclusion, cyber-neuropsychology is possible and may be a complement and alternative to traditional assessment when they cannot develop.

Desmopressin (melt) therapy in children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis and nocturnal polyuria results in improved neuropsychological functioning and sleep.

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Van Herzeele, Charlotte; Dhondt, Karlien; Roels, Sanne P; Raes, Ann; Hoebeke, Piet; Groen, Luitzen-Albert; Vande Walle, Johan

2016-09-01

There is a high comorbidity between nocturnal enuresis, sleep disorders and psychological problems. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a decrease in nocturnal diuresis volume not only improves enuresis but also ameliorates disrupted sleep and (neuro)psychological dysfunction, the major comorbidities of this disorder. In this open-label, prospective phase IV study, 30 children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) underwent standardized video-polysomnographic testing and multi-informant (neuro)psychological testing at baseline and 6 months after the start of desmopressin treatment in the University Hospital Ghent, Belgium. Primary endpoints were the effect on sleep and (neuro)psychological functioning. The secondary endpoint was the change in the first undisturbed sleep period or the time to the first void. Thirty children aged between 6 and 16 (mean 10.43, standard deviation 3.08) years completed the study. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) and a prolonged first undisturbed sleep period. Additionally, (neuro)psychological functioning was improved on several domains. The study demonstrates that the degree of comorbidity symptoms is at least aggravated by enuresis (and/or high nocturnal diuresis rate) since sleep and (neuro)psychological functioning were significantly ameliorated by treatment of enuresis. These results indicate that enuresis is not such a benign condition as has previously been assumed.

Clinical psychology of religion. A training model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uden, M.H.F. van; Pieper, J.Z.T.

2003-01-01

In this paper we will show you a part of a course "Clinical Psychology of Religion" that has been developed in the Netherlands for introducing mental health professionals in the field of clinical psychology of religion. Clinical psychology of religion applies insights from general psychology of

Clinical applicability and cutoff values for an unstructured neuropsychological assessment protocol for older adults with low formal education.

Science.gov (United States)

de Paula, Jonas Jardim; Bertola, Laiss; Ávila, Rafaela Teixeira; Moreira, Lafaiete; Coutinho, Gabriel; de Moraes, Edgar Nunes; Bicalho, Maria Aparecida Camargos; Nicolato, Rodrigo; Diniz, Breno Satler; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro Fernandes

2013-01-01

The neuropsychological exam plays a central role in the assessment of elderly patients with cognitive complaints. It is particularly relevant to differentiate patients with mild dementia from those subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Formal education is a critical factor in neuropsychological performance; however, there are few studies that evaluated the psychometric properties, especially criterion related validity, neuropsychological tests for patients with low formal education. The present study aims to investigate the validity of an unstructured neuropsychological assessment protocol for this population and develop cutoff values for clinical use. A protocol composed by the Rey-Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Frontal Assessment Battery, Category and Letter Fluency, Stick Design Test, Clock Drawing Test, Digit Span, Token Test and TN-LIN was administered to 274 older adults (96 normal aging, 85 mild cognitive impairment and 93 mild Alzheimer`s disease) with predominantly low formal education. Factor analysis showed a four factor structure related to Executive Functions, Language/Semantic Memory, Episodic Memory and Visuospatial Abilities, accounting for 65% of explained variance. Most of the tests showed a good sensitivity and specificity to differentiate the diagnostic groups. The neuropsychological protocol showed a significant ecological validity as 3 of the cognitive factors explained 31% of the variance on Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. The study presents evidence of the construct, criteria and ecological validity for this protocol. The neuropsychological tests and the proposed cutoff values might be used for the clinical assessment of older adults with low formal education.

Electroencephalogram, cognitive state, psychological disorders, clinical symptom, and oxidative stress in horticulture farmers exposed to organophosphate pesticides.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayrami, Mansour; Hashemi, Touraj; Malekirad, Ali Akbar; Ashayeri, Hassan; Faraji, Fardin; Abdollahi, Mohammad

2012-02-01

The aim of this paper was to study the toxicity of organophosphate (OP) pesticides in exposed farmers for electroencephalography, cognitive state, psychological disorders, clinical symptom, oxidative stress, acetylcholinesterase, and DNA damage. A comparative cross-sectional analysis was carried out in 40 horticulture farmers who were exposed to OPs in comparison to a control group containing 40 healthy subjects with the same age and sex and education level. Lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase, DNA damage, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total thiol molecules, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were measured in the blood of subjects. Clinical examination and complete blood test were undertaken in order to record any abnormal sign or symptoms. Cognitive function, psychological symptoms, and psychological distress were examined and recorded. Comparing with controls, the farmers showed higher blood levels of SOD and LPO while their TAC decreased. Farmers showed clinical symptoms such as eczema, breathing muscle weakness, nausea, and saliva secretion. Regarding cognitive function, the orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language were not significantly different in farmers and controls. Among examinations for psychological distress, only labeled somatization was significantly higher in farmers. The present findings indicate that oxidative stress and inhibition of AChE can be seen in chronically OP-exposed people but incidence of neuropsychological disorders seems a complex multivariate phenomenon that might be seen in long-term high-dose exposure situations. Use of supplementary antioxidants would be useful in the treatment of farmers.

Overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys: Stereotype impact on neuropsychological assessment.

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Fresson, Megan; Meulemans, Thierry; Dardenne, Benoit; Geurten, Marie

2018-02-12

There is vigorous debate regarding the possibility that ADHD is overdiagnosed in boys. We investigated the impact of the gender stereotype depicting boys as inattentive and impulsive on neuropsychological assessment (observation of psychology students and child's cognitive performance). In experiment 1, after the stereotype was activated, psychology students rated a "boy," a "girl," or a "child" on a behavioral assessment scale. In experiment 2, 103 children (boys and girls) completed neuropsychological tasks under stereotype threat or neutral conditions. The gender stereotype led psychology students to assess a child's behaviors more negatively if they thought the child was a boy. Boys' performance on one cognitive score declined following stereotype threat. Regression path analyses suggested moderation by stigma consciousness. Additionally, there were mediating and suppressing (through stereotype endorsement) effects. Our results suggest that the gender stereotype might contribute to the overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys.

Oscar Marin and the Creation of a Cognitive Neuropsychology Laboratory.

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Posner, Michael I

2015-09-01

During the 1980s, the Cognitive Neuropsychology Laboratory at Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, Oregon, made important strides in the study of brain injury. Created and headed by Oscar Marin and the author, in affiliation with the University of Oregon, the lab brought together students, fellows, and visiting experts in neurology, psychology, psychiatry, neuropsychology, neurobiology, neurophysiology, and computation. Their patient-focused collaborations produced groundbreaking research in language and its disorders, bradyphrenia, neglect, cerebellar function and impairment, and the psychology of music. The lab hosted the meeting that they documented in the influential 1985 book Attention and Performance XI: Mechanisms of Attention. The lab's members have gone on to lead distinguished careers and continue making major contributions to cognitive neuroscience.

Behavior, neuropsychology and fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Maxwell R; Hatton, Sean; Hermens, Daniel F; Lagopoulos, Jim

Cognitive neuroscientists in the late 20th century began the task of identifying the part(s) of the brain concerned with normal behavior as manifest in the psychological capacities as affective powers, reasoning, behaving purposively and the pursuit of goals, following introduction of the 'functional magnetic resonance imaging' (fMRI) method for identifying brain activity. For this research program to be successful two questions require satisfactory answers. First, as the fMRI method can currently only be used on stationary subjects, to what extent can neuropsychological tests applicable to such stationary subjects be correlated with normal behavior. Second, to what extent can correlations between the various neuropsychological tests on the one hand, and sites of brain activity determined with fMRI on the other, be regarded as established. The extent to which these questions have yet received satisfactory answers is reviewed, and suggestions made both for improving correlations of neuropsychological tests with behavior as well as with the results of fMRI-based observations. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Visualization technology in neuropsychological research: A case study on corporal imaginary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Figueroa Sarriera

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Psychology, as a discipline, adopts a dualistic imaginary of the body: as a porous yet closed boundary. Therefore, accessing the "truth" of the subject requires all sorts of techniques and tools. The psychological discourse often considers these devices in exteriority of the subject. As a counterpoint, I propose that the artifacts are a constituent part of the corporal imaginary. The argument compares the Skinner Air Crib and Gesell’s Laboratory, two inventions of the mid-twentieth century, and a XXI century neuropsychological research about the location of the self. In the first two cases, the body is constructed as a porous barrier that participates within hygienic parameters, both operating and optimizing individual performance and military metaphors that has shaped social policy practices. The discussion of the neuropsychological research, as a case study, does not intend to question the results of the research from the neuropsychological field. It points towards those understandings and assumptions that reveal the connection of the neuropsychological discourse with its cultural context. Special attention is paid to gender construction, ways of mediating scientific knowledge, the hybridity between the neuropsychological reductionism of the scientific framing and the entertainment industry; as well as to the new forms of identity formation and the complementarity of the visuals and performance in the contemporary scene. 

Stereotactic radiofrequency amygdalohippocampectomy: Two years of good neuropsychological outcomes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malíková, H.; Krámská, L.; Vojtěch, Z.; Lukavský, Jiří; Liščák, R.

2013-01-01

Roč. 106, č. 3 (2013), s. 423-432 ISSN 0920-1211 Institutional support: RVO:68081740 Keywords : temporal lobe epilepsy * stereotactic surgery * neuropsychology outcome Subject RIV: AN - Psychology Impact factor: 2.190, year: 2013

Clinical Psychology Training: Accreditation and Beyond.

Science.gov (United States)

Levenson, Robert W

2017-05-08

Beginning with efforts in the late 1940s to ensure that clinical psychologists were adequately trained to meet the mental health needs of the veterans of World War II, the accreditation of clinical psychologists has largely been the province of the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. However, in 2008 the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System began accrediting doctoral programs that adhere to the clinical science training model. This review discusses the goals of accreditation and the history of the accreditation of graduate programs in clinical psychology, and provides an overview of the evaluation procedures used by these two systems. Accreditation is viewed against the backdrop of the slow rate of progress in reducing the burden of mental illness and the changes in clinical psychology training that might help improve this situation. The review concludes with a set of five recommendations for improving accreditation.

The Clinical Obesity Maintenance Model: An Integration of Psychological Constructs including Mood, Emotional Regulation, Disordered Overeating, Habitual Cluster Behaviours, Health Literacy and Cognitive Function

OpenAIRE

Raman, Jayanthi; Smith, Evelyn; Hay, Phillipa

2013-01-01

Psychological distress and deficits in executive functioning are likely to be important barriers to effective weight loss maintenance. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, in the light of recent evidence in the fields of neuropsychology and obesity, particularly on the deficits in the executive function in overweight and obese individuals, a conceptual and theoretical framework of obesity maintenance is introduced by way of a clinical obesity maintenance model (COMM). It is argued tha...

Heterogeneidade neuropsicológica na esclerose múlipla Neuropsychological heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo de Paula Lima

2008-01-01

Full Text Available A esclerose múltipla (EM é uma doença neurológica progressiva e incapacitante, cujos sintomas afetam o funcionamento motor, sensorial e psicológico. Diversas variáveis clínicas e psicossociais influenciam o perfil neuropsicológico na EM, que é extremamente heterogêneo. O objetivo principal do presente estudo foi investigar a possibilidade de estratificar estatisticamente portadores de EM e controles a partir das dimensões neurológica, sócio-demográfica e neuropsicológica de funcionamento. A partir desse objetivo, foi conduzido um procedimento de análise de conglomerados utilizando cinco instrumentos neuropsicológicos, selecionados dentre uma gama de nove medidas, de acordo com a acurácia diagnóstica. A amostra foi constituída por 45 pessoas saudáveis e 35 portadores de EM com características sócio-demográficas semelhantes. Os resultados indicaram uma solução ideal com quatro conglomerados a partir de duas dimensões, funcionamento "cognitivo" e "psicossocial", que representam aspectos independentes, porém não disjuntivos, do funcionamento neuropsicológico na EM.Multiple sclerosis (MS is a progressively disabling neurological disease which symptoms affect sensory, motor and psychological functioning. Several clinical neurological and psychological variables influence the neuropsychological profile in MS, which is extremely heterogeneous. The main objective of the present study was to investigate if it is possible to statistically stratify control subjects and MS patients from neurological, socio-demographic and neuropsychological dimensions. With this purpose we applied cluster analysis procedures to five neuropsychological instruments selected according to diagnostic accuracy from a pool of 9 neuropsychological tests. The sample was composed of 45 healthy controls and 35 MS patients with similar socio-demographic characteristics. The results indicated an ideal solution with 4 different clusters according to two

Psychological woundedness and its evaluation in applications for clinical psychology training.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivey, Gavin; Partington, Theresa

2014-01-01

This paper reports on a qualitative study investigating clinical psychology programme selectors' perceptions of psychological 'woundedness' in the autobiographical narratives of applicants for clinical psychology training. Woundedness was here defined in terms of the ongoing or residual psychological impact of adverse experiences and psychic conflicts. Ten selectors were presented with a sample of applicants' written autobiographical narratives, differentiated by the conspicuous presence or absence of psychological woundedness. The selectors, who were not informed of the specific aims of the study, ranked applicant protocols and were interviewed individually about their impressions of the protocols and the criteria that they used to rank them. Most selectors were positively biased toward 'wounded' narratives and suspicious of those in which woundedness was manifestly absent. Although generally disposed to favour wounded applicants, how woundedness was presented, rather than the mere presence of it, was a discriminating feature in selectors' appraisal of wounded narratives. Selectors were concerned that unresolved woundedness may compromise applicants' professional boundaries, impair self-reflective capacity and lead to damaging countertransference enactments. The relative extent to which applicant woundedness appeared to be resolved was significant in selectors' assessment of applicants' clinical training potential. A distinction is thus proposed between obstructive and facilitative woundedness in clinical psychology applicants. A sample of clinical psychology programme selectors identified psychological woundedness as a significant feature in applicant autobiographies. Selectors favoured applicant autobiographies showing evidence of woundedness. The distinction between obstructive and facilitative woundedness is important in how the selector sample evaluated woundedness. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Neuropsychology in Multiple Sclerosis: A literature review.

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Rodneys Mauricio Jiménez Morales

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that is characterized by demyelination and degeneration. The objective of this article is to offer a review of the latest scientific discoveries in the field of neuropsychology in ME. A description is presented of the most frequent neuropsychological manifestations and their probable association with other factors such as: school level, fatigue, disability, cerebral dysfunction, time and clinical form of evolution, as well as depression and other states of mind starting from recent evidences in the scientific community. Also addressed is the development of tests and valid sensitive neuropsychological sets to evaluate cognitive functions. The use of sensitive and specific test facilitates the evaluation of neuropsychological alterations associated to ME, besides other socio-demographic and clinical-evaluative factors to contemplate in the exploration.

Psychology as a Moral Science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinkmann, Svend

What does morality have to do with psychology in a value-neutral, postmodern world? According to a provocative new book, everything. Taking exception with current ideas in the mainstream (including cultural, evolutionary, and neuropsychology) as straying from the discipline’s ethical foundations,...... as a Moral Science contains enough controversial ideas to spark great interest among researchers and scholars in psychology and the philosophy of science.......What does morality have to do with psychology in a value-neutral, postmodern world? According to a provocative new book, everything. Taking exception with current ideas in the mainstream (including cultural, evolutionary, and neuropsychology) as straying from the discipline’s ethical foundations......, Psychology as a Moral Science argues that psychological phenomena are inherently moral, and that psychology, as prescriptive and interventive practice, reflects specific moral principles. The book cites normative moral standards, as far back as Aristotle, that give human thoughts, feelings, and actions...

MRI-defined subcortical ischemic vascular disease: baseline clinical and neuropsychological findings. The LADIS Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jokinen, Hanna; Kalska, Hely; Ylikoski, Raija

2009-01-01

of global cognitive function, psychomotor speed, attention and executive functions, verbal fluency, and working memory. CONCLUSION: In this population of nondisabled older adults with WML, SIVD was related to specific clinical and functional characteristics. Neuropsychological features included psychomotor...... slowing as well as deficits in attention and executive functions....

Nigerian Journal of Clinical and Counselling Psychology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nigerian Journal of Clinical and Counselling Psychology. ... paediatric and ethical aspects of the applied field of clinical and counselling psychology. The journal publishes contributions of research, clinical, counselling and theoretical interest.

Sensitivity and specificity of neuropsychological tests for dementia

African Journals Online (AJOL)

specificity of a battery of neuropsychological tests in a sample of elderly persons living in a ... estimate of 20% prevalence for dementia in residential homes ... demographic variables, and mean neuro- psychological .... on optimum balance between sensitivity and specificity (Fig. 1). ..... The lack of stratification of the sample.

The role of neuropsychology in UK pediatric HIV care: Relevance to clinical practice and research.

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Freeman, Anita

2017-11-01

There has been a dramatic improvement in the survival of children with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) following the introduction of effective treatment in 1990s. The care for children living with PHIV is now focused on more accurately understanding the effects of both HIV and HIV treatment on the developing body and brain. An evaluation of current HIV neuroimaging, and neurocognitive research, when combined with clinical experience in the area of HIV, could help to inform United Kingdom (UK) PHIV service provision. This paper argues that an understanding from a neuropsychological perspective will help these young people to optimize their health, quality of life, and future functioning. The aim of the paper is to bring together research and clinical understanding of HIV and its treatment effects on the developing brain, together with an understanding of other potential neurological risk factors. It is argued here that there is a need for targeted neuropsychology assessment and preventative interventions, supported by clinical and preliminary research on the neurocognitive effects of HIV and its treatments.

Family therapy and clinical psychology

OpenAIRE

Carr, Alan

1995-01-01

The results of a survey of 111 clinical psychologists in the Republic of Ireland along with some comparable data from US and UK surveys were used to address a series of questions about the link between family therapy and clinical psychology. Family therapy was not a clearly identifiable sub-specialty within clinical psychology in Ireland. Family therapy theoretical models were used by more than a quarter of the Irish sample to conceptualize their work but by less than a tenth of US and UK res...

How Cognitive Neuroscience could be more biological – and what it might learn from Clinical Neuropsychology

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Stefan eFrisch

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Three widespread assumptions of Cognitive-affective Neuroscience are discussed: First, mental functions are assumed to be localized in circumscribed brain areas which can be exactly determined, at least in principle (localizationism. Second, this assumption is associated with the more general claim that these functions (and dysfunctions, such as in neurological or mental diseases are somehow generated inside the brain (internalism. Third, these functions are seen to be biological in the sense that they can be decomposed and finally explained on the basis of elementary biological causes (i. e. genetic, molecular, neurophysiological etc., causes that can be identified by experimental methods as the gold standard (isolationism. Clinical neuropsychology is widely assumed to support these tenets. However, by making reference to the ideas of Kurt Goldstein, one of its most important founders, I argue that none of these assumptions is sufficiently supported. From the perspective of a clinical-neuropsychological practitioner, assessing and treating brain damage sequelae reveals a quite different picture of the brain as well as of us brain carriers, making the organism (or person in its specific environment the crucial reference point. This conclusion can be further elaborated: All experimental and clinical research on humans presupposes the notion of a situated, reflecting, and interacting subject, which precedes all kinds of scientific decomposition, however useful. These implications support the core assumptions of the embodiment approach to brain and mind, and, as I argue, Goldstein and his clinical-neuropsychological observations are part of its very origin, for both theoretical and historical reasons.

Women entering clinical psychology: Q-sort narratives of career attraction of female clinical psychology trainees in the UK

OpenAIRE

Baker, Martyn; Nash, Jen

2011-01-01

The great majority of the UK clinical psychology workforce is female, and this fact prompted an examination of the various ways clinical psychology might be seen as attractive to women – a neglected research topic. Female clinical psychology trainees from a variety of training programmes Q-sorted statements of potential job attractors. The process of analysis is outlined, before most of the article is devoted to explicating the five narratives of attraction generated: making a difference, wai...

Nigerian Journal of Clinical and Counselling Psychology: Editorial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Focus and Scope. The Nigerian Journal of Clinical and Counselling Psychology is concerned with the psychological, social, behavioural, medical, paediatric and ethical aspects of the applied field of clinical and counselling psychology. The journal publishes contributions of research, clinical, counselling and theoretical ...

Lying in neuropsychology.

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Seron, X

2014-10-01

The issue of lying occurs in neuropsychology especially when examinations are conducted in a forensic context. When a subject intentionally either presents non-existent deficits or exaggerates their severity to obtain financial or material compensation, this behaviour is termed malingering. Malingering is discussed in the general framework of lying in psychology, and the different procedures used by neuropsychologists to evidence a lack of collaboration at examination are briefly presented and discussed. When a lack of collaboration is observed, specific emphasis is placed on the difficulty in unambiguously establishing that this results from the patient's voluntary decision. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Implementing guidelines: Proposed definitions of neuropsychology services in pediatric oncology.

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Baum, Katherine T; Powell, Stephanie K; Jacobson, Lisa A; Gragert, Marsha N; Janzen, Laura A; Paltin, Iris; Rey-Casserly, Celiane M; Wilkening, Greta N

2017-08-01

Several organizations have published guidelines for the neuropsychological care of survivors of childhood cancer. However, there is limited consensus in how these guidelines are applied. The model of neuropsychology service delivery is further complicated by the variable terminology used to describe recommended services. In an important first step to translate published guidelines into clinical practice, this paper proposes definitions for specific neuropsychological processes and services, with the goal of facilitating consistency across sites to foster future clinical program development and to clarify clinical practice guidelines. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuropsychological profiles correlated with clinical and behavioral impairments in a sample of Brazilian children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD

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Sueli eRizzutti

2015-11-01

Full Text Available ADHD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that implies several-step process and there is no single test to diagnose both ADHD and associated comorbidities such as oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorder, depression and certain types of learning disabilities. The purpose of the present study was to examine correlations between behavioral and clinical symptoms by administering an extensive neuropsychological battery to a sample of children and adolescents from a developing country. The sample was divided into three groups: non-ADHD; ADHD-non-comorbid; and ADHD+comorbidity. A full neuropsychological battery and clinical assessment found that 105 children met DSM-5 criteria, of whom 46.6% had the predominantly inattentive presentation, 37.3% had combined presentation and 16% were predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation. The internal correlation between neuropsychological tests did not reach statistical significance in the comparison between ADHD and non-ADHD cases (p<0.17. Clinical ADHD cases, including both +comorbidity and non-comorbid groups, performed substantially worse on CPT, working memory. Comparing ADHD-non-comorbid and ADHD+comorbidity groups, the latter did significantly worse on inhibitory control, time processing and the level of perseveration response on CPT indexes, as well as on working memory performance and CBCL tests particularly the CBCL-DESR (deficient emotional self-regulation test in the ADHD+comorbidity group. Children diagnosed as oppositional-defiant (ODD or with conduct disorder (CD showed close correlations between clinical CBCL profiles and externalized symptoms. Our findings suggest that ADHD+comorbidity and ADHD non-comorbid cases may be differentiated by a number of neuropsychological measures, such as processing speed, inhibitory control and working memory, that may reflect different levels of involvement of the hot and cool executive domains, which are more impaired in cases of severe

HISTORY OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION

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N. A. Varako

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. The article reviews the history of neuropsychological rehabilitation. It begins with the description of first rehabilitation programs developed by Paul Broca and Shepherd Franz. Franz’s experimental work for motor recovery in monkeys and correlation between active movement or affected limb immobilization and rehabilitation outcomes are described in further details. Special focus is given on ideas of famous German neurologist and psychiatrist Kurt Goldstein, who laid the foundation for modern approach in rehabilitation. Goldstein developed the idea of connection between rehabilitation and patient’s daily life. He also pointed out the necessity of psychological care of patients with brain damage.Russian neuropsychological approach is presented by its founders L.S. Vygotskiy and A.R. Luriya. Aspects of higher mental processes structure and options of its correction such as “cognitive prosthesis” are described in the sense of the approach.Y. Ben-Yishay, G. Prigatano, B. Wilson represent neuropsychological rehabilitation of the second half of the 20th century. The idea of a holistic approach for rehabilitation consists of such important principles as patient’s active involvement in a process of rehabilitation, work of a special team of rehabilitation professionals, inclusion of patient’s family members. The short review of a new rehabilitation approach for patients in coma, vegetative states and critical patients under resuscitation is given. 

Advances in functional brain imaging technology and developmental neuro-psychology: their applications in the Jungian analytic domain.

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Petchkovsky, Leon

2017-06-01

Analytical psychology shares with many other psychotherapies the important task of repairing the consequences of developmental trauma. The majority of analytic patients come from compromised early developmental backgrounds: they may have experienced neglect, abuse, or failures of empathic resonance from their carers. Functional brain imagery techniques including Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG), and functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery (fMRI), allow us to track mental processes in ways beyond verbal reportage and introspection. This independent perspective is useful for developing new psychodynamic hypotheses, testing current ones, providing diagnostic markers, and monitoring treatment progress. Jung, with the Word Association Test, grasped these principles 100 years ago. Brain imaging techniques have contributed to powerful recent advances in our understanding of neurodevelopmental processes in the first three years of life. If adequate nurturance is compromised, a range of difficulties may emerge. This has important implications for how we understand and treat our psychotherapy clients. The paper provides an overview of functional brain imaging and advances in developmental neuropsychology, and looks at applications of some of these findings (including neurofeedback) in the Jungian psychotherapy domain. © 2017, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Services in the United States: Brief Report from a Survey of Clinical Neuropsychologists.

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Block, Cady; Santos, Octavio A; Flores-Medina, Yvonne; Rivera Camacho, Diego Fernando; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

2017-05-01

To provide a brief presentation of preliminary data on rehabilitation services provided by clinical neuropsychologists within the United States. This survey utilized data extracted from a larger international research study conducted in 39 countries including N = 173 professionals who reported to engage in neuropsychological rehabilitative services within the past year (63.6% female, 44.36 ± 11.83 years of age) took part in the study. Neuropsychologists providing rehabilitation services in the United States in the past year were more likely to provide individual versus group therapy, likely to employ technology (e.g., personal computers, mobile phones/smartphones) as part of treatment services, see a range of diagnostic groups most prominently traumatic brain injury and stroke/vascular conditions, and work to address a range of both cognitive (e.g., memory, attention/concentration, and executive functioning) and psychological (e.g., emotional/behavioral adjustment and well-being, awareness of disability/disease) issues. Prior published surveys suggest that clinical neuropsychologists have a growing involvement in rehabilitation services within the United States but with little clarity as to the actual characteristics of actual professional activities and practices. The present study aimed to provide such information and hopefully will be helpful in promoting additional systematic studies in this area. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychology at Chinese universities and in Chinese society: with special reference to clinical psychology

OpenAIRE

Yue, Guoan; Perrez, Meinrad; Han, Xiulan

2011-01-01

The following contribution gives a short introduction to Chinese psychology, history, psychological research and teaching institutions and student selection for universities. After a brief overview of the theoretical traditions and contemporary trends in general and experimental psychology it focuses in more detail on the recent developments in clinical and medical psychology. Research domains, academic training in clinical psychology and its applications in modern China are discussed with sp...

Neuropsychological Evaluation in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome

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Osmon, David C.; Smerz, Jessica M.

2005-01-01

The neurobiological basis of Tourettes syndrome is reviewed for the purpose of presenting a clinically relevant account of the neuropsychology of the disorder for the clinician who is behaviorally oriented. The neuropathology and neuropsychological deficits typically found in Tourettes are reviewed, and a neuropsychological test battery is…

Changes in Neuropsychological Status during the Initial Phase of Abstinence in Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurocognitive Impairment and Implications for Clinical Care.

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Mulhauser, Kyler; Weinstock, Jeremiah; Ruppert, Phillip; Benware, Jeffrey

2018-05-12

Neuropsychological deficits are common in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and impact daily functioning and AUD treatment outcomes. Longitudinal studies demonstrate that extended abstinence improves neuropsychological functioning. The effects of short-term abstinence are less clear. This study examined changes in neuropsychological functioning after acute detoxification over a 10-day period at the beginning of residential AUD treatment. Notably, this study evaluated cognitive functioning according to diagnostic classifications for neurocognitive disorder according to DSM-5. Using a within-subjects design, neuropsychological functioning of participants (N = 28) undergoing a 14-day residential AUD treatment program was assessed at two time points over 10 days (i.e., treatment entry, prior to treatment discharge). Tests of immediate memory, visuospatial abilities, attention, language abilities, delayed memory, and executive functioning were administered. After completing acute detoxification, almost all participants (93%) were clinically impaired in at least one of the five cognitive domains at residential treatment entry, with one third of the sample impaired on ≥3 domains. Ten days later, 71% remained clinically impaired in at least one of five cognitive domains, with 29% of the sample impaired on ≥3 domains. Significant improvement over the 10-day period was observed for immediate memory, visuospatial abilities, and overall cognitive functioning. Clinical significance of these changes is also reported. Conclusions/Importance: The results from this study help to characterize cognitive functioning in terms of neurocognitive impairment. A brief period of abstinence begins to ameliorate neuropsychological deficits, but many individuals remain cognitively impaired throughout treatment. Implications for treatment are discussed.

Longitudinal assessment of neuropsychological function in major depression.

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Douglas, Katie M; Porter, Richard J

2009-12-01

Neuropsychological impairment is a core component of major depression, yet its relationship to clinical state is unclear. The aims of the present review were to determine which neuropsychological domains and tasks were most sensitive to improvement in clinical state in major depression and to highlight the methodological issues in such research. Studies that included a baseline and at least one follow-up neuropsychological testing session in adults with major depression were identified using MEDLINE, Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases. Thirty studies were included in the review. Findings in younger adult populations suggested that improvement in mood was most strongly related to improved verbal memory and verbal fluency, while measures of executive functioning and attention tended to remain impaired across treatment. In late-life major depression, improved psychomotor speed was most closely related to treatment response, but there was much inconsistency between study findings, which may be due to methodological issues. In major depression, particular neuropsychological domains are more strongly related to clinical state than others. The findings from the present review suggest that the domains most sensitive to clinical state are verbal learning and memory, verbal fluency and psychomotor speed. In contrast, measures of attention and executive functioning perhaps represent more trait-like markers of major depression. With further methodologically sound research, the changes in neuropsychological function associated with treatment response may provide a means of evaluating different treatment strategies in major depression.

Forensic neuropsychology: a reply to the method skeptics.

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Barth, J T; Ryan, T V; Hawk, G L

1991-09-01

Various critics or "method skeptics" have contended that clinical neuropsychology is not sufficiently developed as a science to be offered as evidence in legal or trial proceedings. The present article attempts to balance the extreme position of the method skeptics with an overview of legal and research data that support forensic applications of neuropsychology. It is suggested that clinical evidence can usefully inform legal decision making and that the modern trend has been for courts to be increasingly open to such expert testimony. The relevance of studies of clinical judgement, experience, and actuarial prediction is discussed, and neuropsychological assessment validity is specifically addressed. It is concluded that the arguments of the method skeptics should guide future research and caution forensic neuropsychologists, but that a retreat from the courtroom is unwarranted.

The profession of neuropsychology in Spain: results of a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Olabarrieta-Landa, Laiene; Caracuel, Alfonso; Pérez-García, Miguel; Panyavin, Ivan; Morlett-Paredes, Alejandra; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

2016-11-01

To examine the current status of professional neuropsychology in Spain, with particular focus on the areas of professional training, current work situation, evaluation and diagnostic practice, rehabilitation, teaching, and research. Three hundred and thirty-nine self-identified professionals in neuropsychology from Spain completed an online survey between July and December of 2013. Respondents had an average age of 35.8 years and 77% were women. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents identified as psychologists; 82% of the sample had a master's degree, and 33% a doctoral degree. The majority (91%) received their neuropsychological training at a graduate level; 88% engaged in neuropsychological evaluation, 59% in rehabilitation, 50% in research, and 40% in teaching. Average number of hours per week dedicated to work in neuropsychology was 29.7, with 28% of the respondents reporting working in hospitals, 17% in not-for-profit rehabilitation centers, 15% in universities, and 14% in private clinics. Clinicians primarily work with individuals with stroke, traumatic brain injury, and dementia. The top perceived barriers to development of neuropsychology in Spain included lack of clinical and academic training opportunities, and negative attitude toward professional collaboration. The field of neuropsychology in Spain is young and rapidly growing. There is a need to regulate professional neuropsychology, improve graduate curricula, enhance existing clinical training, develop professional certification programs, validate and create normative data for existing neuropsychological tests, and create new, culturally relevant instruments.

Neuropsychological deficits in patients with Lyme borreliosis

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Katja Pruša

2001-09-01

Full Text Available Slovenia is an endemic area for Lyme borreliosis, a disease that affects many organic systems. Decline in cognitive abilities and emotional changes can appear in acute and chronic stage of the disease beside somatic difficulties. Early antibiotic therapy is of great importance in recovery. Attention and concentration deficits, memory deficits, impaired executive functioning, depression and other symptoms reduce work efficiency and life quality of people with Lyme borreliosis. Neuropsychological deficits can be explained with central nervous system impairment and partly also with reactive psychological factors. On account of symptomatic complexity, broad differential diagnostic and unreliable diagnostic technology neuropsychological evaluation can help to correctly diagnose and accurately treat this disease, and thus to enable appropriate cognitive rehabilitation and psychotherapeutic assistance.

[Neuropsychological profiles associated with the children's oral language disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

Conde-Guzón, P A; Conde-Guzón, M J; Bartolomé-Albistegui, M T; Quirós-Expósito, P

Oral language disorders constitute a group of syndromes with a high prevalence among the childhood population. They form a heterogeneous group that ranges from simple problems in articulating a phoneme (dyslalias) to severe disorders affecting communication, such as children's dysarthrias and aphasias. In this paper our objective is to review the neuropsychological profiles of children who manifest different oral language disorders. Due to the wide range of clinical pictures and causations covered by children's oral language disorders, very few systematic reviews have been conducted to obtain an overall view of the neuropsychological profiles of these children. Although the linguistic signs and symptoms of these disorders are well understood, the associated neuropsychological signs and symptoms have not been studied. In some cases, these neuropsychological signs cause greater learning problems in children than the actual language problems themselves. Childhood language disorders are associated with different neuropsychological problems. The most commonly associated neuropsychological deficits are problems involving memory, attention, executive functions, motor dysfunctions, temporal perception, tactile recognition, body scheme, spatial orientation and difficulties in visual discrimination. Mnemonic disorders (essentially in short-term and working auditory memory) are usually a common denominator in the different clinical pictures that make up language disorders. The mnemonic impairment associated to dyslalias deserves special attention as this disorder is sometimes similar to that seen in language problems deriving from clinical pictures with important neurological alterations.

Psychological and neuropsychological correlates of dependence-related behaviour in medication overuse headaches: a one year follow-up study.

Science.gov (United States)

Radat, Françoise; Chanraud, Sandra; Di Scala, Georges; Dousset, Virginie; Allard, Michèle

2013-07-04

Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) can be related in some patients to dependence-related behaviour characterised by craving, a deficit in controlling substance intake, which is associated to orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) dysfunction. The aim of this study was to explore the psychological correlates in MOH patients and the functioning of the OFC through neuropsychological assessment (Iowa Gambling Task: IGT) and to relate it to prognosis at a one year follow-up point. Seventeen subjects suffering from probable MOH were included and compared to 19 migraineurs and to 17 controls. The results show significant between group differences for behavioural dependence, depression, anxiety, catastrophizing. There were no between group differences for impulsivity. Mean IGT score did not allow differentiation of MOH patients from the other groups, whereas the score was significantly different between opiate abusers and other medication abusers (45 +/-5.7 versus 57.1 +/-8.2, p = 0.019). Among the clinical variables rated at inclusion, the amount of acute headache medication taken per month was the only one predicting the prognosis (RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1-1.06, p = 0.04). A slight increase in risk of relapse at 1 year was observed in patients with poorer IGT scores (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85-1, p = 0.05) and higher behavioural-dependence scores (RR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1-1.14, p = 0.05). None of the other psychological variables predicted relapse risk. These results must be interpreted with caution due to the low number of subjects. They showed a deficit in decision making processes in MOH patients who overuse medications containing psychoactive substances like opiates. Moreover dependence-related variables are related to the prognosis.

Reasons for holding a Consensus Conference on neuropsychological rehabilitation in adult patients.

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Làdavass, E; Paolucci, S; Umiltà, C

2011-03-01

Neuropsychological deficits are common in various cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative and traumatic pathologies. Neuropsychological rehabilitation refers to a set of interventions that aim to improve a person's ability to perform cognitive tasks by retraining previously learned skills and teaching compensatory strategies. However, today there are some relevant points that need of further investigations. In 2007, a Task Force was set up under the auspices of several scientific societies that operate in the field of psychology, neuropsychology, rehabilitation and neurology (AIP, GIRN, SIMFER, SIN, SINP, and SPAN) with the aim to clarify the theoretical background of neuropsychological rehabilitation and to assess the diagnostic instruments and the treatments available to date. This consensus conference (CC), using methods derived from those of Evidence-Based-Medicine (EMB), evaluated several points, including: a) legal aspects; b) epidemiological aspects; c) neuropsychological rehabilitation of attentional and executive disorders; d) neuropsychological rehabilitation of speech/language disorders; e) neuropsychological rehabilitation of visual field defects; f) neuropsychological rehabilitation of neglect; g) neuropsychological rehabilitation of memory disorders; h) cognitive rehabilitation of arm apraxia; i) neuropsychological rehabilitation of Alzheimer disease; j) rehabilitation of multiple sclerosis; k) rehabilitation of severe brain injuries; l) rehabilitation of mild to moderate brain injuries; m) rehabilitation of behavioral disorders in severe brain injuries. Then, CC submitted to a specific Jury a final report with summary tables and questions. The final meeting of the Jury was held in Siena in February 2010.

Physician Preferences to Communicate Neuropsychological Results: Comparison of Qualitative Descriptors and a Proposal to Reduce Communication Errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenberg, Mike R; Osborn, Katie E; Mahone, E Mark; Feigon, Maia; Roth, Robert M; Pliskin, Neil H

2017-11-08

Errors in communication are a leading cause of medical errors. A potential source of error in communicating neuropsychological results is confusion in the qualitative descriptors used to describe standardized neuropsychological data. This study sought to evaluate the extent to which medical consumers of neuropsychological assessments believed that results/findings were not clearly communicated. In addition, preference data for a variety of qualitative descriptors commonly used to communicate normative neuropsychological test scores were obtained. Preference data were obtained for five qualitative descriptor systems as part of a larger 36-item internet-based survey of physician satisfaction with neuropsychological services. A new qualitative descriptor system termed the Simplified Qualitative Classification System (Q-Simple) was proposed to reduce the potential for communication errors using seven terms: very superior, superior, high average, average, low average, borderline, and abnormal/impaired. A non-random convenience sample of 605 clinicians identified from four United States academic medical centers from January 1, 2015 through January 7, 2016 were invited to participate. A total of 182 surveys were completed. A minority of clinicians (12.5%) indicated that neuropsychological study results were not clearly communicated. When communicating neuropsychological standardized scores, the two most preferred qualitative descriptor systems were by Heaton and colleagues (26%) and a newly proposed Q-simple system (22%). Comprehensive norms for an extended Halstead-Reitan battery: Demographic corrections, research findings, and clinical applications. Odessa, TX: Psychological Assessment Resources) (26%) and the newly proposed Q-Simple system (22%). Initial findings highlight the need to improve and standardize communication of neuropsychological results. These data offer initial guidance for preferred terms to communicate test results and form a foundation for more

Functional brain imaging in neuropsychology over the past 25 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Roalf, David R; Gur, Ruben C

2017-11-01

Outline effects of functional neuroimaging on neuropsychology over the past 25 years. Functional neuroimaging methods and studies will be described that provide a historical context, offer examples of the utility of neuroimaging in specific domains, and discuss the limitations and future directions of neuroimaging in neuropsychology. Tracking the history of publications on functional neuroimaging related to neuropsychology indicates early involvement of neuropsychologists in the development of these methodologies. Initial progress in neuropsychological application of functional neuroimaging has been hampered by costs and the exposure to ionizing radiation. With rapid evolution of functional methods-in particular functional MRI (fMRI)-neuroimaging has profoundly transformed our knowledge of the brain. Its current applications span the spectrum of normative development to clinical applications. The field is moving toward applying sophisticated statistical approaches that will help elucidate distinct neural activation networks associated with specific behavioral domains. The impact of functional neuroimaging on clinical neuropsychology is more circumscribed, but the prospects remain enticing. The theoretical insights and empirical findings of functional neuroimaging have been led by many neuropsychologists and have transformed the field of behavioral neuroscience. Thus far they have had limited effects on the clinical practices of neuropsychologists. Perhaps it is time to add training in functional neuroimaging to the clinical neuropsychologist's toolkit and from there to the clinic or bedside. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Concept of inclusion on the section of Vygotskian socio-cultural theory and neuropsychology

OpenAIRE

Kobal Grum, Darja

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the concept of inclusion of children with special needs from the context of contemporary fi ndings in neuropsychology as well as from the context of the psychology of L.S. Vygotsky and his theory of socio- cultural development. In contrast to the classical physiological models that treated deficits and defects in brain functioning as final and "non-serviceable", the contemporary neuropsychological advancements show the significance of brain plastic changes, which enable t...

Concept of inclusion on the section of Vygotskian socio-cultural theory and neuropsychology:

OpenAIRE

Kobal Grum, Darja

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the concept of inclusion of children with special needs from the context of contemporary fi ndings in neuropsychology as well as from the context of the psychology of L.S. Vygotsky and his theory of socio- cultural development. In contrast to the classical physiological models that treated deficits and defects in brain functioning as final and "non-serviceable", the contemporary neuropsychological advancements show the significance of brain plastic changes, which enable t...

Online cognition : Factors facilitating reliable online neuropsychological test results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, H.E.M.; Vermeulen, I.E.; Murre, J.M.J.; Schagen, S.B.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Online neuropsychological test batteries could allow for large-scale cognitive data collection in clinical studies. However, the few online neuropsychological test batteries that are currently available often still require supervision or lack proper psychometric evaluation. In this paper,

Online cognition : factors facilitating reliable online neuropsychological test results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, Heleen E M; Vermeulen, Ivar E; Murre, Jaap M J; Schagen, Sanne B

OBJECTIVE: Online neuropsychological test batteries could allow for large-scale cognitive data collection in clinical studies. However, the few online neuropsychological test batteries that are currently available often still require supervision or lack proper psychometric evaluation. In this paper,

Women entering clinical psychology: Q-sort narratives of career attraction of female clinical psychology trainees in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Martyn; Nash, Jen

2013-01-01

The great majority of the UK clinical psychology workforce are women, and this fact prompted an examination of the various ways clinical psychology might be seen as attractive to women--a neglected research topic. Female clinical psychology trainees from a variety of training programmes Q-sorted statements of potential job attractors. The process of analysis is outlined before most of the article is devoted to explicating the five narratives of attraction generated: making a difference, waiting for what I want, idealising challenge, identifying with distress and acknowledging power and privilege. Two super-ordinate 'stories' spanning the narratives are suggested--an over-riding attraction to the profession and a rebuttal of the suggestion that this attraction may be based on any overtly gendered grounds. In the absence of previous empirical data of women's attraction to clinical psychology, the small but significant contribution to understanding the profession made by the analysis is acknowledged--as is the need for further research to confirm and develop the findings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Past, present, and future of neuropsychology in Argentina.

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Fernandez, Alberto Luis; Ferreres, Aldo; Morlett-Paredes, Alejandra; Rivera, Diego; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

2016-11-01

To describe the history, current situation, and future challenges of Argentinian neuropsychology. A brief historical description highlighting the most representative authors and publications is made. In addition, a survey was administered to a sample of 135 neuropsychologists practicing neuropsychology in Argentina. The survey explored the current neuropsychological practices among the respondents. Results show that most Argentinian neuropsychologists are: psychologists, women, and work in the clinical field in the country's major cities. Besides, the practice of neuropsychology is mostly unregulated with few training opportunities. Argentinian neuropsychology emerged from neurology in the early twentieth century and slowly progressed until the 1960s when the first organized research groups were created. Since then, a substantial and steady progress followed. However, more training opportunities and a better regulation of the discipline are needed. No similar studies have been conducted in the past, thus becoming one of the first to describe the development of neuropsychology in Argentina.

Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment.

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Bornstein, Robert F

2017-01-01

In recent years there has been increasing emphasis on evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP), and as is true in most health care professions, the primary focus of EBPP has been on treatment. Comparatively little attention has been devoted to applying the principles of EBPP to psychological assessment, despite the fact that assessment plays a central role in myriad domains of empirical and applied psychology (e.g., research, forensics, behavioral health, risk management, diagnosis and classification in mental health settings, documentation of neuropsychological impairment and recovery, personnel selection and placement in organizational contexts). This article outlines the central elements of evidence-based psychological assessment (EBPA), using the American Psychological Association's tripartite definition of EBPP as integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences. After discussing strategies for conceptualizing and operationalizing evidence-based testing and evidence-based assessment, 6 core skills and 3 meta-skills that underlie proficiency in psychological assessment are described. The integration of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences is discussed in terms of the complex interaction of patient and assessor identities and values throughout the assessment process. A preliminary framework for implementing EBPA is offered, and avenues for continued refinement and growth are described.

Neuropsychological effects and attitudes in patients following electroconvulsive therapy.

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Feliu, Miriam; Edwards, Christopher L; Sudhakar, Shiv; McDougald, Camela; Raynor, Renee; Johnson, Stephanie; Byrd, Goldie; Whitfield, Keith; Jonassaint, Charles; Romero, Heather; Edwards, Lekisha; Wellington, Chante'; Hill, LaBarron K; Sollers, James; Logue, Patrick E

2008-06-01

The current study examined the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on neuropsychological test performance. Forty-six patients completed brief neuropsychological and psychological testing before and after receiving ECT for the treatment of recalcitrant and severe depression. Neuropsychological testing consisted of the Levin Selective Reminding Test (Levin) and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Edition (WMS-R). Self-report measures included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Short-Term Memory Questionnaire (STMQ), and several other measures of emotional functioning and patient attitudes toward ECT. The mean number of days between pre-ECT and post-ECT testing was 24. T-test revealed a significant decrease in subjective ratings of depression as rated by the BDI, t(45) = 9.82, P Objective ratings of memory appeared impaired following treatment, and patients' self-report measures of memory confirmed this decline. More specifically, repeated measures MANOVA [Wilks Lambda F(11,30) = 4.3, p memory (p recall (p visual designs (p memory functioning, and post-ECT self-reports may not be reliable.

Impact of Prefrontal Theta Burst Stimulation on Clinical Neuropsychological Tasks

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Raquel Viejo-Sobera

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Theta burst stimulation (TBS protocols hold high promise in neuropsychological rehabilitation. Nevertheless, their ability to either decrease (continuous, cTBS or increase (intermittent, iTBS cortical excitability in areas other than the primary motor cortex, and their consistency modulating human behaviors with clinically relevant tasks remain to be fully established. The behavioral effects of TBS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC are particularly interesting given its involvement in working memory (WM and executive functions (EF, often impaired following frontal brain damage. We aimed to explore the ability of cTBS and iTBS to modulate WM and EF in healthy individuals, assessed with clinical neuropsychological tests (Digits Backward, 3-back task, Stroop Test, and Tower of Hanoi. To this end, 36 participants were assessed using the four tests 1 week prior to stimulation and immediately following a single session of either cTBS, iTBS, or sham TBS, delivered to the left dlPFC. No significant differences were found across stimulation conditions in any of the clinical tasks. Nonetheless, in some of them, active stimulation induced significant pre/post performance modulations, which were not found for the sham condition. More specifically, sham stimulation yielded improvements in the 3-back task and the Color, Color-Word, and Interference Score of the Stroop Test, an effect likely caused by task practice. Both, iTBS and cTBS, produced improvements in Digits Backward and impairments in 3-back task accuracy. Moreover, iTBS increased Interference Score in the Stroop Test in spite of the improved word reading and impaired color naming, whereas cTBS decreased the time required to complete the Tower of Hanoi. Differing from TBS outcomes reported for cortico-spinal measures on the primary motor cortex, our analyses did not reveal any of the expected performance differences across stimulation protocols. However, if one considers independently

Different Surgical Approaches for Mesial Temporal Epilepsy: Resection Extent, Seizure, and Neuropsychological Outcomes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malíková, H.; Krámská, L.; Vojtěch, Z.; Liščák, R.; Šroubek, J.; Lukavský, Jiří; Druga, R.

2014-01-01

Roč. 92, č. 6 (2014), s. 372-380 ISSN 1011-6125 Institutional support: RVO:68081740 Keywords : temporal lobe epilepsy * stereotactic surgery * neuropsychology outcome Subject RIV: AN - Psychology Impact factor: 2.019, year: 2014

[Foundational questions in the beginning of clinical psychology].

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Ceccarelli, Glauco

2013-01-01

This work proposes an initial survey on the origins of American clinical psychology between the nineteenth and twentieth century, against a backdrop of historiographical interpretation that hypothesizes a "plurality of matrices" of clinical psychology, linked to different theoretical perspectives and different socio-cultural contexts. Particular attention is focused upon the main foundational issues of the discipline, drawing from some of the writings of Lightner Witmer, to whom we owe the founding of the first "clinical psychology" for subjects in childhood characterized by "retardation or physical defects interfering with school progress"; and of a lesser-known scholar, John E.W. Wallin. Both authors, indeed, worry themselves anxious to define clinical psychology, differentiating it from other medical and psychological branches; to establish which is the field of competence of the clinical psychologist; and to outline their training and specify the aims and contents of their intervention. Attention is then addressed to the relationship psychologists-psychiatrists at the time of its emergence, making specific reference to a document of the New York Psychiatrical Society--which represents one of the first attempts to exclude clinical psychologists from the field of mental health--and reporting also on the response to this position signed by Shepherd Franz. After an allusion to the Italian situation from the 1950s to today, the article concludes by emphasizing that at least some of the basic questions that clinical psychology had to deal with at its birth are still present, though filtered through the intense debate that has taken place over the years, and consequently supporting the importance of a historical component in the training of contemporary clinical psychologists.

Neuropsychological effects and attitudes in patients following electroconvulsive therapy

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Miriam Feliu

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Miriam Feliu1,2, Christopher L Edwards1,2,3, Shiv Sudhakar4, Camela McDougald1, Renee Raynor5, Stephanie Johnson6, Goldie Byrd7, Keith Whitfield8, Charles Jonassaint8, Heather Romero1, Lekisha Edwards1, Chante’ Wellington1, LaBarron K Hill9, James Sollers, III9, Patrick E Logue11Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; 2Duke Pain and Palliative Care Center; 3Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology; 4Drexel University Medical School; 5Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; 6Science Directorate, American Psychological Association; 7Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University; 8Department of Psychology, Duke University; 9Department of Psychology, The Ohio State UniversityAbstract: The current study examined the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT on neuropsychological test performance. Forty-six patients completed brief neuropsychological and psychological testing before and after receiving ECT for the treatment of recalcitrant and severe depression. Neuropsychological testing consisted of the Levin Selective Reminding Test (Levin and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Edition (WMS-R. Self-report measures included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, the Short-Term Memory Questionnaire (STMQ, and several other measures of emotional functioning and patient attitudes toward ECT. The mean number of days between pre-ECT and post-ECT testing was 24. T-test revealed a significant decrease in subjective ratings of depression as rated by the BDI, t(45 = 9.82, P < 0.0001 (Pre-BDI = 27.9 ± 20.2; post-BDI = 13.5 ± 9.7. Objective ratings of memory appeared impaired following treatment, and patients’ self-report measures of memory confirmed this decline. More specifically, repeated measures MANOVA [Wilks Lambda F(11,30 = 4.3, p < 0.001] indicated significant decreases for measures of immediate recognition memory (p < 0.005, long-term storage (p < 0.05, delayed prose passage recall (p < 0

Premorbid adjustment and neuropsychological performance in schizophrenia.

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Silverstein, Marshall L; Mavrolefteros, George; Close, David

2002-01-01

To examine the relationship between premorbid adjustment and neuropsychological deficit in schizophrenia, this report examined retrospective ratings of social and school adjustment during three age epochs (childhood, early adolescence, and late adolescence) as predictors of neurocognitive performance in 61 clinically and pharmacologically stabilized schizophrenia outpatients. Results indicated greater cognitive deficits when premorbid adjustment was unfavorable, particularly for measures of attention and executive functions. Premorbid number and quality of peer relationships and psychosocial adaptation to the school environment were more closely related to neuropsychological performance during adulthood than were premorbid withdrawal and premorbid academic performance. Early onset of poor premorbid adjustment rather than deterioration from childhood to adolescence was associated with greater neuropsychological disturbance in adulthood. It is suggested that childhood onset of premorbid deficits in selective areas of social and academic adjustment appears to influence the cognitive performance seen in adult schizophrenia. This study is consistent with findings from other related reports; it extends these findings to a larger and clinically stabilized sample.

Virtual reality measures in neuropsychological assessment: a meta-analytic review.

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Neguț, Alexandra; Matu, Silviu-Andrei; Sava, Florin Alin; David, Daniel

2016-02-01

Virtual reality-based assessment is a new paradigm for neuropsychological evaluation, that might provide an ecological assessment, compared to paper-and-pencil or computerized neuropsychological assessment. Previous research has focused on the use of virtual reality in neuropsychological assessment, but no meta-analysis focused on the sensitivity of virtual reality-based measures of cognitive processes in measuring cognitive processes in various populations. We found eighteen studies that compared the cognitive performance between clinical and healthy controls on virtual reality measures. Based on a random effects model, the results indicated a large effect size in favor of healthy controls (g = .95). For executive functions, memory and visuospatial analysis, subgroup analysis revealed moderate to large effect sizes, with superior performance in the case of healthy controls. Participants' mean age, type of clinical condition, type of exploration within virtual reality environments, and the presence of distractors were significant moderators. Our findings support the sensitivity of virtual reality-based measures in detecting cognitive impairment. They highlight the possibility of using virtual reality measures for neuropsychological assessment in research applications, as well as in clinical practice.

Neuropsychological functioning in Wernicke′s encephalopathy

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Sushree Sangita Behura

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Wernicke′s encephalopathy (WE is caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1 deficiency and most commonly found in chronic alcoholism and malnutrition. Clinically, the key features are mental status disturbances (global confusion, oculomotor abnormalities, and gait disturbances (ataxia. Apart from these clinical features, we can find deficits in neuropsychological functioning in patients with WE, which is more prominent after the improvement in the physical conditions. Neuropsychological functioning includes both basic cognitive processes (i.e., attention-concentration as well as higher order cognitive processes (i.e., memory, executive functioning, reasoning, which is much vital for the maintenance of quality of life of an individual. However, unfortunately, in most of the cases, neuropsychological functioning is ignored by the clinicians. Materials and Methods: In this study four case reports of WE have been presented. The patients were taken from the outdoor department of Mental Health Institute, S.C.B. Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha. Neuropsychological functioning was measured by administration of PGIBBD and Quality of Life was measured by WHO-QOL BREF Odia Version. Discussion: As described in the literature, among the three cardinal signs ( global confusion, ataxia, and ocular sings, the first two were present in all cases, but nystagmus was present in only two cases.Memory dysfunction was so disabling that the persons were unable to maintain a good Quality of Life and occupational impairment was prominent. There are disturbances in recent, remote memory, immediate recall, delayed recall, and attention and concentration, ultimately creating both physical and mental disability. PGI-BBD findings also suggest the overall impairment in neuropsychological functioning other than memory, that is, executive functioning, visual acuity, and depth perception. Findings of WHO-QOL BREF suggest the impairment of four domains of QOL in all the cases, but

Comparative study of clinical and neuropsychological characteristics between early-, late and very-late-onset schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

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Hanssen, Manon; van der Werf, Margriet; Verkaaik, Mike; Arts, Baer; Myin-Germeys, Inez; van Os, Jim; Verhey, Frans; Köhler, Sebastian

2015-08-01

To compare the clinical and neurocognitive profile of early-onset (EOP, neuropsychological tests from EOP and LOP when age is controlled for. This questions the idea that VLOP is the expression of underlying neurodegeneration. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term neuropsychological effects of ecstasy in middle-aged ecstasy/polydrug users

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schilt, Thelma; Koeter, Maarten W. J.; Smal, Johan P.; Gouwetor, Mathilde N.; van den Brink, Wim; Schmand, Ben

2010-01-01

RATIONALE: Studies reporting ecstasy-induced serotonin-toxicity and (neuro)psychological dysfunctions have been conducted in young adults. Little is known about ecstasy effects later in life, when serotonin levels and cognition decrease as a consequence of normal ageing. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed

Long-term neuropsychological effects of ecstasy in middle-aged ecstasy/polydrug users

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schilt, T.; Koeter, M.W.J.; Smal, J.P.; Gouwetor, M.N.; van den Brink, W.; Schmand, B.

2010-01-01

Rationale Studies reporting ecstasy-induced serotonin-toxicity and (neuro)psychological dysfunctions have been conducted in young adults. Little is known about ecstasy effects later in life, when serotonin levels and cognition decrease as a consequence of normal ageing. Objective This study aimed to

Neuropsychological outcomes following stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampectomy.

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Greenway, Melanie R F; Lucas, John A; Feyissa, Anteneh M; Grewal, Sanjeet; Wharen, Robert E; Tatum, William O

2017-10-01

The objective was to analyze neuropsychological testing data from 15 patients before and after stereotactic laser ablation surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy and to describe the seizure outcomes after stereotactic laser ablation surgery. A retrospective review of 15 patients who underwent stereotactic laser ablation and who also underwent neuropsychological testing before and after surgery was performed. Verbal and visual memory was assessed in all 15 patients using California Verbal Learning Test and Wechsler Memory Scale IV. Naming was assessed in 9 of 15 patients using the Boston Naming Test. Statistical analysis was performed to determine clinically significant changes using previously validated reliable change indices and proprietary Advanced Clinical Solutions software. Seizure outcome data were evaluated using Engel classification. Postsurgery neuropsychological evaluation demonstrated that all 15 patients experienced at least 1 clinically significant decline in either verbal or visual memory. Ten patients in this series, including five with dominant-hemisphere surgery, demonstrated decline in delayed memory for narrative information (Logical Memory II). By contrast, the Boston Naming Test demonstrated more favorable results after surgery. Two of nine patients demonstrated a clinically significant increase in naming ability, and only one of nine patients demonstrated a clinically significant decline in naming ability. With at least 6months of follow-up after surgery, 33% reported seizure freedom. Stereotactic laser ablation can result in clinically significant and meaningful decline in verbal and visual memory when comparing patients to their own presurgical baseline. Naming ability, conversely, is much less likely to be impacted by stereotactic laser ablation and may improve after the procedure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sexual dysfunctions in MS in relation to neuropsychiatric aspects and its psychological treatment: A scoping review

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Rose, Anita; van de Vis, Wim; Engelbrecht, Jannie; Pirard, Michelle; Lau, Stefanie; Heesen, Christoph; Köpke, Sascha

2018-01-01

Objective Sexual dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) is a significant, but often underestimated and overlooked suffering. Interventions to treat sexual dysfunction in MS are rare. The relation between sexual dysfunction in MS and psychological as well as neuropsychological aspects is evident. However, this field of research remains markedly underdeveloped in this severe chronic illness. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the relevant knowledge in this area and to identify psychological interventions to treat sexual dysfunctions in MS. Methods A scoping review was conducted to answer the following questions: (1) Which psychological and neuropsychological factors impact on sexual dysfunction in MS and vice versa? (2) What kind of psychological interventions aiming to improve sexual dysfunctions in MS are available? A comprehensive search and review of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL was completed by using a recent methodological framework for scoping reviews. Results 23 publications covering a total of 13,259 people with MS and 532 healthy controls were identified. Sexual dysfunction was found to be very common in MS and there is an obvious relation to psychological disorders as e.g. depression and anxiety and also to psychological aspects as partner relationship and quality of life. The relation between sexual dysfunction in MS and neuropsychological impairment has only rarely been studied and no clear results were found. Only two studies were identified, assessing the effectiveness of psychological intervention studies on sexual dysfunction in people with MS, and a third study presenting a secondary analysis of a study targeting depression. All three studies reported significant improvements in sexual dysfunction as well as partly in psychological variables. Conclusions There is a pressing need for the development and adequate evaluation of psychological interventions for sexual dysfunctions in MS. In addition, sexual dysfunction and its impact on

Psychotherapeutics and the problematic origins of clinical psychology in America.

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Taylor, E

2000-09-01

The problematic place of psychotherapy within the larger history of scientific psychology is reviewed, especially in the absence of any definitive history of clinical psychology yet written. Although standard histories of psychology imply that psychotherapy was somehow derived from the tradition of German laboratory science, modern historiography reveals a dramatically different story. Personality, abnormal, social, and clinical psychology have their roots in an international psychotherapeutic alliance related more to French neurophysiology, and this alliance flourished for several decades before psychoanalysis. Reconstruction of the American contribution to this alliance, the so-called Boston school of abnormal psychology, suggests an era of medical psychology in advance of today. Note is also made of the possible misattribution of Lightner Witmer as the father of clinical psychology.

Rebuttal to Nelson et al. 'Response to Bodin and Grote regarding postdoctoral recruitment in clinical neuropsychology'.

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Bodin, Doug; Grote, Christopher L

2016-07-01

Nelson et al. provided a response to our commentary on the postdoctoral match in clinical neuropsychology. In this brief rebuttal, we will focus on statements from Nelson et al. that we believe are factual inaccuracies or misunderstandings of some of the points we made in our commentary. In addition, we will comment briefly on the proposed guidelines offered in their response.

Revisioning Clinical Psychology: Integrating Cultural Psychology into Clinical Research and Practice with Portuguese Immigrants

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James, Susan; Harris, Sara; Foster, Gary; Clarke, Juanne; Gadermann, Anne; Morrison, Marie; Bezanson, Birdie Jane

2013-01-01

This article outlines a model for conducting psychotherapy with people of diverse cultural backgrounds. The theoretical foundation for the model is based on clinical and cultural psychology. Cultural psychology integrates psychology and anthropology in order to provide a complex understanding of both culture and the individual within his or her cultural context. The model proposed in this article is also based on our clinical experience and mixed-method research with the Portuguese community. The model demonstrates its value with ethnic minority clients by situating the clients within the context of their multi-layered social reality. The individual, familial, socio-cultural, and religio-moral domains are explored in two research projects, revealing the interrelation of these levels/contexts. The article is structured according to these domains. Study 1 is a quantitative study that validates the Agonias Questionnaire in Ontario. The results of this study are used to illustrate the individual domain of our proposed model. Study 2 is an ethnography conducted in the Azorean Islands, and the results of this study are integrated to illustrate the other three levels of the model, namely family, socio-cultural, and the religio-moral levels. PMID:23720642

The neuropsychological profile of Alzheimer disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Weintraub, Sandra; Wicklund, Alissa H; Salmon, David P

2012-04-01

Neuropsychological assessment has featured prominently over the past 30 years in the characterization of dementia associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). Clinical neuropsychological methods have identified the earliest, most definitive cognitive and behavioral symptoms of illness, contributing to the identification, staging, and tracking of disease. With increasing public awareness of dementia, disease detection has moved to earlier stages of illness, at a time when deficits are both behaviorally and pathologically selective. For reasons that are not well understood, early AD pathology frequently targets large-scale neuroanatomical networks for episodic memory before other networks that subserve language, attention, executive functions, and visuospatial abilities. This chapter reviews the pathognomonic neuropsychological features of AD dementia and how these differ from "normal," age-related cognitive decline and from other neurodegenerative diseases that cause dementia, including cortical Lewy body disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and cerebrovascular disease.

Personality disorder symptomatology and neuropsychological functioning in closed head injury.

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Ruocco, Anthony C; Swirsky-Sacchetti, Thomas

2007-01-01

Despite an emerging literature characterizing the neuropsychological profiles of borderline, antisocial, and schizotypal personality disorders, relations between personality disorder traits and neurocognitive domains remain unknown. The authors examined associations among Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III personality disorder scales and eight neuropsychological domains in 161 patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation following closed head injury. Most personality disorder scales were associated with some decrement in cognitive function, particularly speeded processing, executive function, and language, while histrionic and narcissistic scales had positive relations with neuropsychological functioning. Results suggest that many personality disorder traits are related to neurocognitive function, particularly those functions subserved by frontal and temporal regions.

What predicts performance during clinical psychology training?

OpenAIRE

Scior, Katrina; Bradley, Caroline E; Potts, Henry W W; Woolf, Katherine; de C Williams, Amanda C

2013-01-01

Objectives While the question of who is likely to be selected for clinical psychology training has been studied, evidence on performance during training is scant. This study explored data from seven consecutive intakes of the UK's largest clinical psychology training course, aiming to identify what factors predict better or poorer outcomes. Design Longitudinal cross-sectional study using prospective and retrospective data. Method Characteristics at application were analysed in relation to a r...

[Effects of a neuropsychology program based on mindfulness on Alzheimer's disease: randomized double-blind clinical study].

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Quintana Hernández, Domingo Jesús; Miró Barrachina, María Teresa; Ibáñez Fernández, Ignacio; del Pino, Angelo Santana; García Rodríguez, Javie r; Hernández, Jaime Rojas

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to assess effects of a mindfulness based neuropsychological intervention on the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease. A two year randomized and double blind clinical trial was conducted on 127 probable Alzheimer's disease patients, according to NINCDS-ADRDA scale. Patients were grouped into three experimental groups (cognitive stimulation, progressive muscular relaxation, and mindfulness) plus a control group. All participants were receiving donepezil. Cognitive skills were assessed with CAMCOG and MMSE, functional area with RDRS-2, and NPI was used for psychopathology screening. Three treatment sessions per week were carried out for two years, and follow up measurements were taken every six months. The global cognitive function, functionality and behavioral disorders measurements indicated that patients from the experimental group based on mindfulness were stable during the two years, while patients from the control group, as well as the other experimental groups, showed a mild but significant worsening of their mental capacities. The mindfulness based neuropsychological program showed better cognitive and functional stability, as well as significant improvement in the psychopathological condition of mild to moderate Alzheimer' patients. These results support the idea that a mindfulness based intervention can produce a clinically relevant improvement in the treatment of dementia. More research is needed to confirm these data. Copyright © 2013 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

TECHNOLOGY & NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: TOWARDS A CYBER – NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Soto-Pérez

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Technologies have penetrated all walks of human beings. Numerous technological advances have been developed in the field of neuropsychology, but they are not usually used in daily care. In this regard, it are developed some reflections on the difficulties and of the process of implementing technology solutions in the field of neuropsychology.

The marginalisation of dreams in clinical psychological practice.

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Leonard, Linda; Dawson, Drew

2018-04-22

The longstanding human interest in dreams has led to a significant body of psychological and philosophical discourse, including research. Recently, however, dreams have been relegated to the periphery of clinical psychological practice. This is potentially problematic as clients continue to bring dreams to therapy and many psychologists lack the confidence or competence to respond effectively to dream material. Building on the structural, professional and research cultures surrounding psychology using a cultural-historical activity theory framework, we argue the marginalisation of dreams is due to cultural-historical factors. These factors include the political and economic context in which psychology developed; psychology's early attempts to differentiate from psychoanalysis by identifying with behaviourism and the natural sciences; and a discipline-specific definition of what constitutes evidence-based practice. These factors led to professional discourses within which dreams are seen as of little clinical or therapeutic value, or that dream work is only for long-term therapy and requires extensive therapist training. However, there are diverse models of dream work consistent with most theoretical orientations within contemporary psychological practice. We conclude with recommendations on how to rebuild clinical confidence and competence in the use of dream material within the current professional environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The clinical obesity maintenance model: an integration of psychological constructs including mood, emotional regulation, disordered overeating, habitual cluster behaviours, health literacy and cognitive function.

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Raman, Jayanthi; Smith, Evelyn; Hay, Phillipa

2013-01-01

Psychological distress and deficits in executive functioning are likely to be important barriers to effective weight loss maintenance. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, in the light of recent evidence in the fields of neuropsychology and obesity, particularly on the deficits in the executive function in overweight and obese individuals, a conceptual and theoretical framework of obesity maintenance is introduced by way of a clinical obesity maintenance model (COMM). It is argued that psychological variables, that of habitual cluster Behaviors, emotional dysregulation, mood, and health literacy, interact with executive functioning and impact on the overeating/binge eating behaviors of obese individuals. Second, cognizant of this model, it is argued that the focus of obesity management should be extended to include a broader range of maintaining mechanisms, including but not limited to cognitive deficits. Finally, a discussion on potential future directions in research and practice using the COMM is provided.

The Neuropsychological Profile of Alzheimer Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Weintraub, Sandra; Wicklund, Alissa H.; Salmon, David P.

2012-01-01

Neuropsychological assessment has featured prominently over the past 30 years in the characterization of dementia associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). Clinical neuropsychological methods have identified the earliest, most definitive cognitive and behavioral symptoms of illness, contributing to the identification, staging, and tracking of disease. With increasing public awareness of dementia, disease detection has moved to earlier stages of illness, at a time when deficits are both behaviorally and pathologically selective. For reasons that are not well understood, early AD pathology frequently targets large-scale neuroanatomical networks for episodic memory before other networks that subserve language, attention, executive functions, and visuospatial abilities. This chapter reviews the pathognomonic neuropsychological features of AD dementia and how these differ from “normal,” age-related cognitive decline and from other neurodegenerative diseases that cause dementia, including cortical Lewy body disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and cerebrovascular disease. PMID:22474609

Leading Educational Change Using a Neuropsychological Response-to-Intervention Approach: Linking Our Past, Present, and Future

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Witsken, Deborah; Stoeckel, Amanda; D'Amato, Rik Carl

2008-01-01

Neuropsychology may be described as the study of brain-behavior relationships (National Academy of Neuropsychology [NAN], 2001). Clinical neuropsychology represents the application of knowledge of the intricacies of these relationships to individual cases. Several authors have advocated for the application of neuropsychology to the public schools,…

Neuropsychological and Cognitive Correlates of Recovery in Anorexia Nervosa.

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Harper, Jessica A; Brodrick, Brooks; Van Enkevort, Erin; McAdams, Carrie J

2017-11-01

To identify clinical or cognitive measures either predictive of illness trajectory or altered with sustained weight recovery in adult women with anorexia nervosa. Participants were recruited from prior studies of women with anorexia nervosa (AN-C) and in weight-recovery following anorexia nervosa (AN-WR). Participants completed a neuropsychological battery at baseline and clinical assessments at both baseline and follow-up. Groups based on clinical outcome (continued eating disorder, AN-CC; newly in recovery, AN-CR; sustained weight-recovery, AN-WR) were compared by using one-way ANOVAs with Bonferroni-corrected post hoc comparisons. Women with continued eating disorder had poorer neuropsychological function and self-competence at baseline than AN-CR. AN-CR showed changes in depression and externalizing bias, a measure of self-related attributions. AN-WR differed from both AN-CC and AN-CR at baseline in externalizing bias, but only from AN-CC at outcome. Neuropsychological function when recently ill may be a prognostic factor, while externalizing bias may provide a clinical target for recovery. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Neuropsychological function in Tourette syndrome.

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Como, P G

2001-01-01

equally well in children with TS. The available body of scientific evidence suggests that persons with TS have normally distributed intellectual ability. This would suggest a diminished role for routine IQ testing unless there is compelling clinical evidence to suggest that the IQ score be obtained, such as when the individual is suspected of having an LD. Given that children with TS may be particularly at risk for learning disabilities or academic deficiencies in math and written language, a complete psychoeducational workup should be conducted on any child with TS who is suspected of having such difficulties. This evaluation should be conducted as early as possible, so that educational interventions can be implemented. Traditionally, the psychoeducational evaluation is performed by the school psychologist and should include standardized IQ assessment and academic achievement testing that can objectively identify and quantify the nature and severity of the learning problem. Once the problem has been documented, the school psychologist should recommend appropriate educational and remedial interventions. In addition to psychoeducational testing, neuropsychological testing is indicated to identify specific cognitive deficits that might be present in children with TS, notably problems with visuomotor integration, motor skill, and executive function. The psychoeducational evaluation performed by the school psychologist typically does not assess these cognitive functions. Therefore, referral for neuropsychological testing is indicated if there is a strong clinical suspicion of cognitive deficits. The accumulated neuropsychological literature in TS suggests that a broad-based, comprehensive, and lengthy neuropsychological examination is not necessary, however. At a minimum, the neuropsychological test battery should include assessment of visuomotor integration ability, motor skills, spatial/perceptual abilities, and executive function. This type of assessment would take less

Five-months-postoperative neuropsychological outcome from a pilot prospective randomized clinical trial of thalamic deep brain stimulation for Tourette syndrome.

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Schoenberg, Mike R; Maddux, Brian N; Riley, David E; Whitney, Christina M; Ogrocki, Paula K; Gould, Deborah; Maciunas, Robert J

2015-02-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder presenting with motor and/or sonic tics associated with frontostriatal dysfunction. This study provided pilot data of the neuropsychological safety of bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat medication-refractory TS in adults. This study used a repeated-measures design with pretest and 3-month follow-up from start of continuous bilateral DBS. Five male patients underwent DBS surgery for medically refractory TS. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate for any change in neuropsychological test scores, employing a false discovery rate. Outcome measures included 14 neuropsychological tests assessing psychomotor speed, attention, memory, language, visuoconstructional, and executive functions, as well as subjective mood ratings of depression and anxiety. Average age was 28.2 years (SD = 7.5) with 12-17 years of education. Participants were disabled by tics, with a tic frequency of 50-80 per minute before surgery. At baseline, subjects' cognitive function was generally average, although mild deficits in sequencing and verbal fluency were present, as were clinically mild obsessive-compulsive symptoms. At 3 months of continuous DBS (5 months after implantation), 3 of 5 participants had clinical reductions in motor and sonic tics. Cognitive scores generally remained stable, but declines of moderate to large effect size (Cohen's d > 0.6) in verbal fluency, visual immediate memory, and reaction time were observed. Fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as fewer obsessions and compulsions, were reported after 3 months of continuous high-frequency DBS. Bilateral centromedian-parafascicular thalamic DBS for medically refractory TS shows promise for treatment of medically refractory TS without marked neuropsychological morbidity. Symptoms of depression and anxiety improved. © 2014 International Neuromodulation Society.

Features of Physical and Neuro-Psychological Development of Children with Low, Very Low and Extremely Low Birth Weight in Different Age Periods of Life

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I. A. Deev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Analysis of features of physical and neuro-psychological development of children with low, very low and extremely low birth weight in different age periods is carried out according to cohort studies of newborns with different gestational age and birth weight, presented in electronic databases PubMed and Medscape. It is revealed that the overwhelming number of children with low, very low and extremely low birth weight, gain physical and neuro- psychological development impairments, hearing and vision disorders of varying severity, violation of motor function, intelligence and cognitive skills infringement in an older age. In this regard, it is actual not only to develop new neonatal reanimation and intensive care technologies, but also to ensure adequate prevention of preterm birth in the group of women with a high degree of perinatal risk. All this will further allow preventing increase in children with disabling conditions number among premature infants.

Cognitive Screening Tests Versus Comprehensive Neuropsychological Test Batteries: A National Academy of Neuropsychology Education Paper†.

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Roebuck-Spencer, Tresa M; Glen, Tannahill; Puente, Antonio E; Denney, Robert L; Ruff, Ronald M; Hostetter, Gayle; Bianchini, Kevin J

2017-06-01

The American Medical Association Current Procedural Panel developed a new billing code making behavioral health screening a reimbursable healthcare service. The use of computerized testing as a means for cognitive screening and brief cognitive testing is increasing at a rapid rate. The purpose of this education paper is to provide information to clinicians, healthcare administrators, and policy developers about the purpose, strengths, and limitations of cognitive screening tests versus comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations. Screening tests are generally brief and narrow in scope, they can be administered during a routine clinical visit, and they can be helpful for identifying individuals in need of more comprehensive assessment. Some screening tests can also be helpful for monitoring treatment outcomes. Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments are multidimensional in nature and used for purposes such as identifying primary and secondary diagnoses, determining the nature  and severity of a person's cognitive difficulties, determining functional limitations, and planning treatment and rehabilitation. Cognitive screening tests are expected to play an increasingly important role in identifying individuals with cognitive impairment and in determining which individuals should be referred for further neuropsychological assessment. However, limitations of existing cognitive screening tests are present and cognitive screening tests should not be used as a replacement for comprehensive neuropsychological testing. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Neuropsychological predictors of dementia in late-life major depressive disorder.

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Potter, Guy G; Wagner, H Ryan; Burke, James R; Plassman, Brenda L; Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A; Steffens, David C

2013-03-01

Major depressive disorder is a likely risk factor for dementia, but some cases of major depressive disorder in older adults may actually represent a prodrome of this condition. The purpose of this study was to use neuropsychological test scores to predict conversion to dementia in a sample of depressed older adults diagnosed as nondemented at the time of neuropsychological testing. Longitudinal, with mean follow-up of 5.45 years. Outpatient depression treatment study at Duke University. Thirty nondemented individuals depressed at the time of neuropsychological testing and later diagnosed with incident dementia; 149 nondemented individuals depressed at the time of neuropsychological testing and a diagnosis of cognitively normal. All participants received clinical assessment of depression, were assessed to rule out prevalent dementia at the time of study enrollment, completed neuropsychological testing at the time of study enrollment, and were diagnosed for cognitive disorders on an annual basis. Nondemented, acutely depressed older adults who converted to dementia during the study period exhibited broadly lower cognitive performances at baseline than acutely depressed individuals who remained cognitively normal. Discriminant function analysis indicated that 2 neuropsychological tests, Recognition Memory (from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease neuropsychological battery) and Trail Making B, best predicted dementia conversion. Depressed older adults with cognitive deficits in the domains of memory and executive functions during acute depression are at higher risk for developing dementia. Some cases of late-life depression may reflect a prodrome of dementia in which clinical manifestation of mood changes may co-occur with emerging cognitive deficits. Copyright © 2013 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The STROBE statement and neuropsychology: lighting the way toward evidence-based practice.

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Loring, David W; Bowden, Stephen C

2014-01-01

Reporting appropriate research detail across clinical disciplines is often inconsistent or incomplete. Insufficient report detail reduces confidence in findings, makes study replication more difficult, and decreases the precision of data available for critical review including meta-analysis. In response to these concerns, cooperative attempts across multiple specialties have developed explicit research reporting standards to guide publication detail. These recommendations have been widely adopted by high impact medical journals, but have not yet been widely embraced by neuropsychology. The STROBE Statement (STrengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology) is particularly relevant to neuropsychology since clinical research is often based on non-funded studies of patient samples. In this paper we describe the STROBE Statement and demonstrate how STROBE criteria, applied to reporting of neuropsychological findings, will maintain neuropsychology's position as a leader in quantifying brain-behavior relationships. We also provide specific recommendations for data reporting and disclosure of perceived conflicts of interest that will further enhance reporting transparency for possible perceived sources of bias. In an era in which evidence-based practice assumes an increasingly prominent role, improved reporting standards will promote better patient care, assist in developing quality practice guidelines, and ensure that neuropsychology remains a vigorous discipline in the clinical neurosciences that consciously aspires to high methodological rigor.

Understanding Egorrhea from Cultural-Clinical Psychology

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Jun eSasaki

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Based on his observations in Japanese clinical settings, Fujinawa (1972 conceptualized egorrhea syndrome, which includes symptoms such as olfactory reference syndrome, fear of eye-to-eye confrontation, delusions of sleep talking, delusions of soliloquy, and thought broadcasting. The key feature of this syndrome is self-leakage, a perceived sense that one’s personal internal information, such as feelings and thoughts, are leaking out. To reach a more comprehensive understanding of egorrhea, this paper aims to present general overview and reconsider the phenomenon of self-leakage using cultural-clinical psychology as a framework. First, the symptoms of egorrhea are reviewed in relation to other related psychopathologies such as social anxiety disorder (SAD and taijin kyofusho (TKS, as well as schizophrenia. Second, a series of empirical studies conducted using Japanese non-clinical samples are summarized. The results of these studies form the basis for subsequent discussions, which incorporates the cultural-clinical psychology perspective proposed by Ryder, Ban, Chentsova-Dutton (2011. This paper ends with a general discussion regarding implications for research and clinical practice.

Circadian rhythms in cognitive performance: implications for neuropsychological assessment

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Valdez P

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Pablo Valdez, Candelaria Ramírez, Aída GarcíaLaboratory of Psychophysiology, School of Psychology, University of Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, MéxicoAbstract: Circadian variations have been found in human performance, including the efficiency to execute many tasks, such as sensory, motor, reaction time, time estimation, memory, verbal, arithmetic calculations, and simulated driving tasks. Performance increases during the day and decreases during the night. Circadian rhythms have been found in three basic neuropsychological processes (attention, working memory, and executive functions, which may explain oscillations in the performance of many tasks. The time course of circadian rhythms in cognitive performance may be modified significantly in patients with brain disorders, due to chronotype, age, alterations of the circadian rhythm, sleep deprivation, type of disorder, and medication. This review analyzes the recent results on circadian rhythms in cognitive performance, as well as the implications of these rhythms for the neuropsychological assessment of patients with brain disorders such as traumatic head injury, stroke, dementia, developmental disorders, and psychiatric disorders.Keywords: human circadian rhythms, cognitive performance, neuropsychological assessment, attention, working memory, executive functions

Depressive and conduct disorder symptoms in youth living with HIV: the independent and interactive roles of coping and neuropsychological functioning.

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Salama, Christina; Morris, Mary; Armistead, Lisa; Koenig, Linda J; Demas, Penelope; Ferdon, Corinne; Bachanas, Pamela

2013-01-01

Emerging research suggests the importance of psychosocial characteristics (e.g., coping and social support) for positive adaptation among youth with behaviorally acquired HIV. However, little is known about how these traits interact with cognitive abilities to impact emotional and behavioral adjustment. This study examined whether coping skills and executive functioning interact in their association with psychological adjustment in HIV-positive youth. Data from Project Adolescents Living with HIV/AIDS (ALPHA), a study to examine psychosocial, behavioral and neuropsychological functioning of youth with behaviorally acquired HIV, were used. Fifty-nine participants, aged 14-23, diagnosed with HIV prior to age 20 and receiving care in one of two HIV clinics in Atlanta or New York City, were recruited, consented and enrolled. Participants completed measures of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), conduct disorder (Adolescent Symptom Index), and use of positive and negative coping strategies (Kidcope). The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) assessed abstract reasoning (categories completed) and cognitive inflexibility (perseverative errors). In this sample of HIV-positive youth, depressive symptoms were best predicted by an interactive combination of negative coping skills and poor neuropsychological functioning. Neuropsychological functioning (cognitive inflexibility) and negative coping skills were directly associated with conduct disorder symptoms. Results highlight the importance of including neuropsychological assessment in the evaluation of HIV-positive youth, particularly those with emotional or behavioral problems.

INCREASING CULTURALLY COMPETENT NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS: A CALL TO ACTION

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Mindt, Monica Rivera; Byrd, Desiree; Saez, Pedro; Manly, Jennifer

2010-01-01

US demographic and sociopolitical shifts have resulted in a rapidly growing need for culturally competent neuropsychological services. However, clinical neuropsychology as a field has not kept pace with the needs of ethnic minority clients. In this discussion we review: historical precedents and the limits of universalism in neuropsychology; ethical/professional guidelines pertinent to neuropsychological practice with ethnic minority clients; critical cultural considerations in neuropsychology; current disparities germane to practice; and challenges to the provision of services to racial/ethnic minority clients. We provide a call to action for neuropsychologists and related organizations to advance multiculturalism and diversity within the field by increasing multicultural awareness and knowledge, multicultural education and training, multicultural neuropsychological research, and the provision of culturally competent neuropsychological services to racial/ethnic minority clients. Lastly, we discuss strategies for increasing the provision of culturally competent neuropsychological services, and offer several resources to meet these goals. PMID:20373222

Neuropsychological Symptoms in Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Patients in Germany.

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Krasnianski, Anna; Bohling, Geeske T; Heinemann, Uta; Varges, Daniela; Meissner, Bettina; Schulz-Schaeffer, Walter J; Reif, Andreas; Zerr, Inga

2017-01-01

The polymorphism at codon 129 of the prion protein gene (PRNP) and the PrPSc types 1 and 2 belong to a molecular classification of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) that correlates well with the clinical and neuropathological phenotype of sCJD. The aim of the study was to perform the first detailed evaluation of neuropsychological deficits in a large group of definite sCJD patients with known molecular subtype. We analyzed neuropsychological symptoms in a cohort of 248 sCJD patients with known M129 V polymorphism of PRNP and prion protein type. Neuropsychological symptoms were very frequent in our patients (96%) and occurred as early as in the first third of the disease course. Besides amnesia and impaired attention (89% each), frontal lobe syndrome (75%), aphasia (63%), and apraxia (57%) were the most common neuropsychological deficits. There was no statistically significant difference with regard to frequency of neuropsychological symptoms between the subtypes. In MV2 and VV2 patients, the onset of neuropsychological symptoms was significantly later than in all other subtypes. We provide the first detailed analysis of neuropsychological symptoms in a large group of sCJD patients with known M129 V genotype and prion protein type. We suggest that the rate of progression of neuropsychological symptoms is subtype-specific. These data may improve the diagnosis in atypical sCJD subtypes.

The Clinical Obesity Maintenance Model: An Integration of Psychological Constructs including Mood, Emotional Regulation, Disordered Overeating, Habitual Cluster Behaviours, Health Literacy and Cognitive Function

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Jayanthi Raman

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Psychological distress and deficits in executive functioning are likely to be important barriers to effective weight loss maintenance. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, in the light of recent evidence in the fields of neuropsychology and obesity, particularly on the deficits in the executive function in overweight and obese individuals, a conceptual and theoretical framework of obesity maintenance is introduced by way of a clinical obesity maintenance model (COMM. It is argued that psychological variables, that of habitual cluster Behaviors, emotional dysregulation, mood, and health literacy, interact with executive functioning and impact on the overeating/binge eating behaviors of obese individuals. Second, cognizant of this model, it is argued that the focus of obesity management should be extended to include a broader range of maintaining mechanisms, including but not limited to cognitive deficits. Finally, a discussion on potential future directions in research and practice using the COMM is provided.

Ethics in the practice of clinical psychology.

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Isaac, Rathna

2009-01-01

The paper presents an overview of ethical issues in clinical psychology. Specifically, it addresses the broad philosophical ideas and views on mental illness on which ethical principles are based, including Greek philosophy and Christianity. It goes on to describe the ethical code of the American Psychological Association as it pertains to general principles, psychological assessment or psychometry, education or training and psychological interventions. The principles of the code and research on the same are discussed with relevance to issues and challenges to ethical practice in India, and suggestions for ethical conduct are made. The paper emphasises the need to consider different viewpoints and take individual responsibility for difficult decisions.

Neuropsychological predictors of clinical outcome in opiate addiction.

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Passetti, F; Clark, L; Mehta, M A; Joyce, E; King, M

2008-04-01

A growing literature supports a role for neurocognitive deficits such as impaired decision-making in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviour. On the basis of these findings, it has been suggested that measures of neurocognitive functioning may be applied to the task of predicting clinical outcome in drug addiction. This in turn may have relevance for differentiating treatment based on individual patient needs. To explore this hypothesis we obtained neurocognitive measures of planning, impulsivity and decision-making from 37 opiate dependent individuals within 6 weeks of starting a community drug treatment programme and we followed them up 3 months into the programme. Performance on two tests of decision-making, but not on tests of planning, motor inhibition, reflection impulsivity or delay discounting, was found to predict abstinence from illicit drugs at 3 months with high specificity and moderate sensitivity. In particular, two thirds of the participants performing normally on the Cambridge Gamble Task and the Iowa Gambling Task, but none of those impaired on both, were abstinent from illicit drugs at follow up. Other neuropsychological, psychiatric or psychosocial factors measured in this sample did not explain this finding. The results are discussed in terms of the brain circuitry involved and the potential implications for the planning of treatment services for opiate dependence.

Correlation of EEG with neuropsychological status in children with epilepsy.

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Hsu, David A; Rayer, Katherine; Jackson, Daren C; Stafstrom, Carl E; Hsu, Murielle; Ferrazzano, Peter A; Dabbs, Kevin; Worrell, Gregory A; Jones, Jana E; Hermann, Bruce P

2016-02-01

To determine correlations of the EEG frequency spectrum with neuropsychological status in children with idiopathic epilepsy. Forty-six children ages 8-18 years old with idiopathic epilepsy were retrospectively identified and analyzed for correlations between EEG spectra and neuropsychological status using multivariate linear regression. In addition, the theta/beta ratio, which has been suggested as a clinically useful EEG marker of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and an EEG spike count were calculated for each subject. Neuropsychological status was highly correlated with posterior alpha (8-15 Hz) EEG activity in a complex way, with both positive and negative correlations at lower and higher alpha frequency sub-bands for each cognitive task in a pattern that depends on the specific cognitive task. In addition, the theta/beta ratio was a specific but insensitive indicator of ADHD status in children with epilepsy; most children both with and without epilepsy have normal theta/beta ratios. The spike count showed no correlations with neuropsychological status. (1) The alpha rhythm may have at least two sub-bands which serve different purposes. (2) The theta/beta ratio is not a sensitive indicator of ADHD status in children with epilepsy. (3) The EEG frequency spectrum correlates more robustly with neuropsychological status than spike count analysis in children with idiopathic epilepsy. (1) The role of posterior alpha rhythms in cognition is complex and can be overlooked if EEG spectral resolution is too coarse or if neuropsychological status is assessed too narrowly. (2) ADHD in children with idiopathic epilepsy may involve different mechanisms from those in children without epilepsy. (3) Reliable correlations with neuropsychological status require longer EEG samples when using spike count analysis than when using frequency spectra. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights

Neuropsychological diagnostics of neurosarcoidosis

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Vera B. Nikishina

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of neuropsychological studies of the patients with neurosarcoidosis. The obtained results show that typical manifestations of neurosarcoidosis are disorders of motor functions. They appear in the speed reduction of actions and their accuracy, which prove peripheral neuropathy and myopathy at the functional level as clinical signs of neurosarcoidosis. Specific manifestations of neurosarcoidosisare determinedby topographical localization of granulomatoma.

Impact of Neuro-Psychological Factors on Smoking-Associated Lung Cancer

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Schuller, Hildegard M. [Experimental Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States)

2014-03-13

Smoking has been extensively documented as a risk factor for all histological types of lung cancer and tobacco-specific nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons reproducibly cause lung cancer in laboratory rodents. However, the most common lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), frequently develops in never smokers and is particularly common in women and African Americans, suggesting that factors unrelated to smoking significantly impact this cancer. Recent experimental investigations in vitro and in animal models have shown that chronic psychological stress and the associated hyperactive signaling of stress neurotransmitters via β-adrenergic receptors significantly promote the growth and metastatic potential of NSCLC. These responses were caused by modulation in the expression and sensitization state of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) that regulate the production of stress neurotransmitters and the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Similar changes in nAChR-mediated neurotransmitter production were identified as the cause of NSCLC stimulation in vitro and in xenograft models by chronic nicotine. Collectively, these data suggest that hyperactivity of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system caused by chronic psychological stress or chronic exposure to nicotinic agonists in cigarette smoke significantly contribute to the development and progression of NSCLC. A recent clinical study that reported improved survival outcomes with the incidental use of β-blockers among patients with NSCLC supports this interpretation.

Impact of Neuro-Psychological Factors on Smoking-Associated Lung Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuller, Hildegard M.

2014-01-01

Smoking has been extensively documented as a risk factor for all histological types of lung cancer and tobacco-specific nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons reproducibly cause lung cancer in laboratory rodents. However, the most common lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), frequently develops in never smokers and is particularly common in women and African Americans, suggesting that factors unrelated to smoking significantly impact this cancer. Recent experimental investigations in vitro and in animal models have shown that chronic psychological stress and the associated hyperactive signaling of stress neurotransmitters via β-adrenergic receptors significantly promote the growth and metastatic potential of NSCLC. These responses were caused by modulation in the expression and sensitization state of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) that regulate the production of stress neurotransmitters and the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Similar changes in nAChR-mediated neurotransmitter production were identified as the cause of NSCLC stimulation in vitro and in xenograft models by chronic nicotine. Collectively, these data suggest that hyperactivity of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system caused by chronic psychological stress or chronic exposure to nicotinic agonists in cigarette smoke significantly contribute to the development and progression of NSCLC. A recent clinical study that reported improved survival outcomes with the incidental use of β-blockers among patients with NSCLC supports this interpretation

Neurological, psychological, and cognitive disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative and replacement therapy.

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Lai, Silvia; Mecarelli, Oriano; Pulitano, Patrizia; Romanello, Roberto; Davi, Leonardo; Zarabla, Alessia; Mariotti, Amalia; Carta, Maria; Tasso, Giorgia; Poli, Luca; Mitterhofer, Anna Paola; Testorio, Massimo; Frassetti, Nicla; Aceto, Paola; Galani, Alessandro; Lai, Carlo

2016-11-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition in the world. Neurological, psychological, and cognitive disorders, related to CKD, could contribute to the morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life of these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the neurological, psychological, and cognitive imbalance in patients with CKD on conservative and replacement therapy.Seventy-four clinically stable patients affected by CKD on conservative therapy, replacement therapy (hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD)), or with kidney transplantation (KT) and 25 healthy controls (HC), matched for age and sex were enrolled. Clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examinations, as renal function, inflammation and mineral metabolism indexes, electroencephalogram (EEG), psychological (MMPI-2, Sat P), and cognitive tests (neuropsychological tests, NPZ5) were carried out.The results showed a significant differences in the absolute and relative power of delta band and relative power of theta band of EEG (P = 0.008, P therapy, and Grade 2-3 in KT patients. The scales of MMPI-2 hysteria and paranoia, are significantly correlated with creatinine, eGFR, serum nitrogen, CRP, 1,25-(OH)2D3, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), phosphorus, and cynical and hysterical personality, are correlated with higher relative power of delta (P = 0.016) and theta band (P = 0.016). Moreover, all NPZ5 scores showed a significant difference between the means of nephropathic patients and the means of the HC, and a positive correlation with eGFR, serum nitrogen, CRP, iPTH, and vitamin D.In CKD patients, simple and noninvasive instruments, as EEG, and cognitive-psychological tests, should be performed and careful and constant monitoring of renal risk factors, probably involved in neuropsychological complications (inflammation, disorders of mineral metabolism, electrolyte disorders, etc.), should be carried out. Early identification and adequate therapy of neuropsychological

Neuropsychological Characteristics of Children with Mixed Autism and ADHD

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Costanza Colombi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Clinical heterogeneity is a well-established characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD. While the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD is well known in clinical practice, relatively little research has examined the neuropsychological profile of children with ASD + ADHD. Our study showed significant differences in the neuropsychological characteristics of children with ASD + ADHD compared to those with ASD only. Children with ASD + ADHD showed higher symptoms of anxiety, worse working memory, and less empathy, as measured by the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes.” This suggests that having ADHD brings further challenges to individuals with ASD and may negatively impact their management and outcome. Our findings may have implications for clinical assessment as well as for intervention.

[The links between neuropsychology and neurophysiology].

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Stolarska-Weryńska, Urszula; Biedroń, Agnieszka; Kaciński, Marek

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to establish current scope of knowledge regarding associations between neurophysiological functioning, neuropsychology and psychoterapy. A systematic review was performed including 93 publications from Science Server, which contains the collections of Elsevier, Springer Journals, SCI-Ex/ICM, MEDLINE/PubMed, and SCOPUS. The works have been selected basing on following key words: 'neuropsychology, neurocognitive correlates, electrodermal response, event related potential, EEG, pupillography, electromiography' out of papers published between 2004-2015. Present reports on the use of neurophysiological methods in psychology can be divided into two areas: experimental research and research of the practical use of conditioning techniques and biofeedback in the treatment of somatic disease. Among the experimental research the following have been distinguished: research based on the startle reflex, physiological reaction to novelty, stress, type/amount of cognitive load and physiological correlates of emotion; research on the neurophysiological correlates of mental disorders, mostly mood and anxiety disorders, and neurocognitive correlates: of memory, attention, learning and intelligence. Among papers regarding the use of neurophysiological methods in psychology two types are the most frequent: on the mechanisms of biofeedback, related mainly to neuro- feedback, which is a quickly expanding method of various attention and mental disorders'treatment, and also research of the use of conditioning techniques in the treatment of mental disorders, especially depression and anxiety. A special place among all the above is taken by the research on electrophysiological correlates of psychotherapy, aiming to differentiate between the efficacy of various psychotherapeutic schools (the largest amount of publications regard the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy) in patients of different age groups and different diagnosis.

Neuropsychological and clinical heterogeneity of cognitive impairment in patients with multiple system atrophy.

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Barcelos, Lorena Broseghini; Saad, Flávia; Giacominelli, Carla; Saba, Roberta Arb; de Carvalho Aguiar, Patrícia Maria; Silva, Sonia Maria Azevedo; Borges, Vanderci; Bertolucci, Paulo Henrique Ferreira; Ferraz, Henrique Ballalai

2018-01-01

We evaluated neuropsychological tests to compare cognitive impairment between two types of multiple system atrophy: predominant parkinsonism (MSA-P) and predominant cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C). This cross-sectional study included 14 patients diagnosed with MSA: four with MSA-C and ten with MSA-P. Presence of motor symptoms was determined by using the Unified Rating MSA Scale (URMSAS). Non-motor symptoms were evaluated by the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Neuropsychological tests were used to evaluate general cognition, verbal and visual memory, working memory, constructional ability, visuospatial, language, and executive function. The median age of the patients was 62 years, median disease duration was 3.5 years, and median education level was 10 years. The median Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was 26.5 points, and median Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) score was 131.5. We compared the continuous data between the two MSA subtypes and observed that bodily pain reported in the quality of life questionnaire, SF-36, was worse in MSA-P (p<0.05), and attention function evaluated by MDRS was significantly lower in MSA-C than MSA-P (p<0.05). Our comparative study of cognitive impairment in MSA-P and MSA-C showed that both groups had impaired executive and visuospatial functions, while the attention deficit was predominant only in MSA-C. These findings support the concept that cognitive deficit originates from striatofrontal dysfunction and cerebellar degeneration. Our study also suggests that cognitive impairment is relevant in MSA, and clinical neurologists should not neglect evaluation of these aspects in their daily clinical practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Practice parameters facilitating adoption of advanced technologies for enhancing neuropsychological assessment paradigms.

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Parsons, Thomas D; McMahan, Timothy; Kane, Robert

2018-01-01

Clinical neuropsychologists have long underutilized computer technologies for neuropsychological assessment. Given the rapid advances in technology (e.g. virtual reality; tablets; iPhones) and the increased accessibility in the past decade, there is an on-going need to identify optimal specifications for advanced technologies while minimizing potential sources of error. Herein, we discuss concerns raised by a joint American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology/National Academy of Neuropsychology position paper. Moreover, we proffer parameters for the development and use of advanced technologies in neuropsychological assessments. We aim to first describe software and hardware configurations that can impact a computerized neuropsychological assessment. This is followed by a description of best practices for developers and practicing neuropsychologists to minimize error in neuropsychological assessments using advanced technologies. We also discuss the relevance of weighing potential computer error in light of possible errors associated with traditional testing. Throughout there is an emphasis on the need for developers to provide bench test results for their software's performance on various devices and minimum specifications (documented in manuals) for the hardware (e.g. computer, monitor, input devices) in the neuropsychologist's practice. Advances in computerized assessment platforms offer both opportunities and challenges. The challenges can appear daunting but are a manageable and require informed consumers who can appreciate the issues and ask pertinent questions in evaluating their options.

Embodied Conversational Agents in Clinical Psychology

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Provoost, Simon; Lau, Ho Ming; Ruwaard, Jeroen

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are computer-generated characters that simulate key properties of human face-to-face conversation, such as verbal and nonverbal behavior. In Internet-based eHealth interventions, ECAs may be used for the delivery of automated human support factors....... OBJECTIVE: We aim to provide an overview of the technological and clinical possibilities, as well as the evidence base for ECA applications in clinical psychology, to inform health professionals about the activity in this field of research. METHODS: Given the large variety of applied methodologies, types...... applications in the treatment of mood, anxiety, psychotic, autism spectrum, and substance use disorders were conducted in databases in the fields of psychology and computer science, as well as in interdisciplinary databases. Studies were included if they conveyed primary research findings on an ECA application...

Sequential processing deficits in schizophrenia: relationship to neuropsychology and genetics.

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Hill, S Kristian; Bjorkquist, Olivia; Carrathers, Tarra; Roseberry, Jarett E; Hochberger, William C; Bishop, Jeffrey R

2013-12-01

Utilizing a combination of neuropsychological and cognitive neuroscience approaches may be essential for characterizing cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and eventually assessing cognitive outcomes. This study was designed to compare the stability of select exemplars for these approaches and their correlations in schizophrenia patients with stable treatment and clinical profiles. Reliability estimates for serial order processing were comparable to neuropsychological measures and indicate that experimental serial order processing measures may be less susceptible to practice effects than traditional neuropsychological measures. Correlations were moderate and consistent with a global cognitive factor. Exploratory analyses indicated a potentially critical role of the Met allele of the Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism in externally paced sequential recall. Experimental measures of serial order processing may reflect frontostriatal dysfunction and be a useful supplement to large neuropsychological batteries. © 2013.

Parametric model measurement: reframing traditional measurement ideas in neuropsychological practice and research.

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Brown, Gregory G; Thomas, Michael L; Patt, Virginie

Neuropsychology is an applied measurement field with its psychometric work primarily built upon classical test theory (CTT). We describe a series of psychometric models to supplement the use of CTT in neuropsychological research and test development. We introduce increasingly complex psychometric models as measurement algebras, which include model parameters that represent abilities and item properties. Within this framework of parametric model measurement (PMM), neuropsychological assessment involves the estimation of model parameters with ability parameter values assuming the role of test 'scores'. Moreover, the traditional notion of measurement error is replaced by the notion of parameter estimation error, and the definition of reliability becomes linked to notions of item and test information. The more complex PMM approaches incorporate into the assessment of neuropsychological performance formal parametric models of behavior validated in the experimental psychology literature, along with item parameters. These PMM approaches endorse the use of experimental manipulations of model parameters to assess a test's construct representation. Strengths and weaknesses of these models are evaluated by their implications for measurement error conditional upon ability level, sensitivity to sample characteristics, computational challenges to parameter estimation, and construct validity. A family of parametric psychometric models can be used to assess latent processes of interest to neuropsychologists. By modeling latent abilities at the item level, psychometric studies in neuropsychology can investigate construct validity and measurement precision within a single framework and contribute to a unification of statistical methods within the framework of generalized latent variable modeling.

Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming

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Téllez A.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Traditionally, neuropsychology has focused on identifying the brain mechanisms of specific psychological processes, such as attention, motor skills, perception, memory, language, and consciousness, as well as their corresponding disorders. However, there are psychological processes that have received little attention in this field, such as dreaming. This study examined the clinical and experimental neuropsychological research relevant to dreaming, ranging from sleep disorders in patients with brain damage, to brain functioning during REM sleep, using different methods of brain imaging. These findings were analyzed within the framework of Luria’s Three Functional Unit Model of the Brain, and a proposal was made to explain certain of the essential characteristics of dreaming. This explanation describes how, during dreaming, an activation of the First Functional Unit occurs, comprising the reticular formation of the brainstem; this activates, in turn, the Second Functional Unit — which is formed by the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes and Unit L, which is comprised of the limbic system, as well as simultaneous hypo-functioning of the Third Functional Unit (frontal lobe. This activity produces a perception of hallucinatory images of various sensory modes, as well as a lack of inhibition, a non-selfreflexive thought process, and a lack of planning and direction of such oneiric images. Dreaming is considered a type of natural confabulation, similar to the one that occurs in patients with frontal lobe damage or schizophrenia. The study also suggests that the confabulatory, bizarre, and impulsive nature of dreaming has a function in the cognitiveemotional homeostasis that aids proper brain function throughout the day.

Perception of ethical misconduct by neuropsychology professionals in Spain.

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Olabarrieta-Landa, Laiene; Romero, Alfonso Caracuel; Panyavin, Ivan; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

2017-01-01

To examine the prevalence of perceived ethical misconduct in clinical practice, teaching, and research in the field of neuropsychology in Spain. Two hundred and fifteen self-identified mental health professionals who engage in neuropsychology practice in Spain completed an online survey from July to December of 2013. In the ethics section of the survey, participants were asked to identify if neuropsychologists they know who work in their country engaged in specific kinds of ethical misconduct. 41% reported receiving formal training in professional ethics. The clinical findings are as follows. The highest rate of perceived misconduct was found in the area of professional training and expertise, with an average of 40.7%, followed by research/publications (25.6%), clinical care (23.9%), and professional relationships (8.8%). Specifically, regarding training, over half of respondents (56.7%) know professionals who claim themselves to be neuropsychologists, even though they lack proper training or expertise and 46.0% know professionals in the field who do not have adequate training for experience to be working in the field. Regarding research/publications, 41.9% of respondents know professionals who appear as authors on publications where they have not made a significant contribution. Regarding clinical care, over one third of respondents endorse knowing professionals who (1) provide results of neuropsychological evaluations in such a way that patients or other professionals are not likely to understand (37.2%) and (2) do not have the skills or training to work with patients who are culturally different from them (34.9%). Less than half of survey respondents reported receiving ethics training. It is possible that introducing more or improved ethics courses into pre-graduate and/or graduate school curriculums, and/or requiring continuing ethics education certification may reduce perceived ethical misconduct among neuropsychological professionals in Spain.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery of the LADIS study

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Moleiro, Carla; Madureira, Sofia; Verdelho, Ana

2013-01-01

analysis (CFA) was used to investigate the dimensions of a structured set of neuropsychological tests administered to a multicenter, international sample of independent older adults (LADIS study). Six hundred and thirty-eight older adults completed baseline neuropsychological, clinical, functional...... and motor assessments, which were repeated each year for a 3-year follow-up. CFA provided support for a 3-factor model. These factors involve the dimensions of executive functions, memory functions, and speed and motor control abilities. Performance decreased in most neuropsychological measures. Results...

The Neuropsychology of Imagery Processing

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1991-01-25

B. (1985). Agnosia . In K. M. Heilman and E. Valenstein (Eds.), Clinical Neuropsychology. New York: Oxford University Press. Biederman, I. (1987...Campion, J. (1987). Apperceptive agnosia : the specification and description of constructs. In Humphreys, G. W., and Riddoch, M. J. (1987a) (Eds...R. (1986). Disorders of complex visual processing: agnosias , achromatopsia, Balint’s syndrome and related difficulties of orientation and

Time to get rid of the 'Modular' in neuropsychology: a unified theory of anosognosia as aberrant predictive coding.

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Fotopoulou, Aikaterini

2014-03-01

Cognitive neuroscience, being more inclusive and ambitious in scope than cognitive neuropsychology, seems to have taken the place of the latter within the modern neurosciences. Nevertheless, recent advances in the neurosciences afford neuropsychology with epistemic possibilities that simply did not exist even 15 years ago. Human lesion studies still have an important role to play in shaping such possibilities, particularly when combined with other methods of enquiry. I first outline theoretical and methodological advances within the neurosciences that can inform and shape the rebirth of a dynamic, non-modular neuropsychology. I then use an influential computational theory of brain function, the free energy principle, to suggest an unified account of anosognosia for hemiplegia as a research example of the potential for transition from a modular, cognitive neuropsychology to a dynamic, computational and even restorative neuropsychology. These and many other adjectives that can flexibly, take the place of 'cognitive' next to 'neuropsychology' will hopefully designate the much needed rebirth and demarcation of a field, neuropsychology itself, that has somehow lost its place within the modern neurosciences and yet seems to have a unique and important role to play in the future understanding of the brain. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Neuropsychology and brain morphology in Klinefelter syndrome - the impact of genetics

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Jensen, Anne Skakkebæk; Bojesen, A; Kristensen, M. K.

2014-01-01

Klinefelter syndrome (KS, 47,XXY) is associated with increased psychiatric morbidity and cognitive disabilities, although the neuropsychological phenotype shows great variability. Androgen receptor polymorphism (CAG repeat length), skewed X-chromosome inactivation and parent-of-origin of the extra......-inactivation, CAG repeat length and parent-of-origin have no impact on the neuropsychological phenotype in KS (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (Clinical trial NCT00999310))....

Neuropsychological Impairment and Its Association with Violence Risk in Japanese Forensic Psychiatric Patients: A Case-Control Study.

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Nishinaka, Hirofumi; Nakane, Jun; Nagata, Takako; Imai, Atsushi; Kuroki, Noriomi; Sakikawa, Noriko; Omori, Mayu; Kuroda, Osamu; Hirabayashi, Naotsugu; Igarashi, Yoshito; Hashimoto, Kenji

2016-01-01

In Japan, the legislation directing treatment of offenders with psychiatric disorders was enacted in 2005. Neuropsychological impairment is highly related to functional outcomes in patients with psychiatric disorders, and several studies have suggested an association between neuropsychological impairment and violent behaviors. However, there have been no studies of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients covered by the Japanese legislation. This study is designed to examine the neuropsychological characteristics of forensic patients in comparison to healthy controls and to assess the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and violence risk. Seventy-one forensic patients with psychiatric disorders and 54 healthy controls (matched by age, gender, and education) were enrolled. The CogState Battery (CSB) consisting of eight cognitive domains, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to test emotion-based decision making, and psychological measures of violence risk including psychopathy were used. Forensic patients exhibited poorer performances on all CSB subtests and the IGT than controls. For each group, partial correlational analyses indicated that poor IGT performance was related to psychopathy, especially antisocial behavior. In forensic patients, the CSB composite score was associated with risk factors for future violent behavior, including stress and noncompliance with remediation attempts. Forensic patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological impairments, and these findings suggest that neuropsychological impairment may increase the risk of violent behavior. Therefore, the treatment of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients with psychiatric disorders is necessary to improve functional outcomes as well as to prevent violence.

Neuropsychological Impairment and Its Association with Violence Risk in Japanese Forensic Psychiatric Patients: A Case-Control Study.

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Hirofumi Nishinaka

Full Text Available In Japan, the legislation directing treatment of offenders with psychiatric disorders was enacted in 2005. Neuropsychological impairment is highly related to functional outcomes in patients with psychiatric disorders, and several studies have suggested an association between neuropsychological impairment and violent behaviors. However, there have been no studies of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients covered by the Japanese legislation. This study is designed to examine the neuropsychological characteristics of forensic patients in comparison to healthy controls and to assess the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and violence risk.Seventy-one forensic patients with psychiatric disorders and 54 healthy controls (matched by age, gender, and education were enrolled. The CogState Battery (CSB consisting of eight cognitive domains, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT to test emotion-based decision making, and psychological measures of violence risk including psychopathy were used.Forensic patients exhibited poorer performances on all CSB subtests and the IGT than controls. For each group, partial correlational analyses indicated that poor IGT performance was related to psychopathy, especially antisocial behavior. In forensic patients, the CSB composite score was associated with risk factors for future violent behavior, including stress and noncompliance with remediation attempts.Forensic patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological impairments, and these findings suggest that neuropsychological impairment may increase the risk of violent behavior. Therefore, the treatment of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients with psychiatric disorders is necessary to improve functional outcomes as well as to prevent violence.

Clinical Psychology and Research: epistemological notes

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Emanuela Coppola

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a reflection on the relationship between clinical psychology and research, highlighting the constant epistemological crossing the two practices, empirical and professional. The paper warns against the pitfalls of reductionism that, in both cases, may impact the effectiveness of therapeutic results. In fact, both in clinical practice and is in psychological research, the mere application of techniques contradicts the specificity of the object of study (the mind which, rather, requires the constant attention to a complexity of variables and contextual elements essential for the understanding the psychic. Qualitative research has been a prolific space for dialogue and joint trials between research and clinical practice that has rehabilitated scientific dignity of affective and subjective for a long time confined to the ephemeral world of poetry and literature. It must therefore be a further extension of the convergence not only of qualitative and quantitative methods but also of training modules for researchers and practitioners are able to stimulate, in daily practice, confidence in the utility of scientific monitoring and detection of inter-subjective variables in research devices.

[Clinical evaluation and psychological aspects of temporomandibular joint disorders].

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Coessens, P; De Boever, J A

1997-01-01

Establishing the patient's clinical diagnosis depends on gathering as much information of the patient and his or her signs and symptoms as possible. This information can be gathered from history, physical and psychological examination, diagnostic analysis. It is also important to look upon pain as a disorder and to consider the relationship between pain and psychological factors. The differential diagnosis is constructed through a biopsychological model of illness rather than through a more traditional biomedical model of disease. To arrive at a consistently accurate clinical diagnosis in patients with TMJ and craniofacial pain, the technique of clinical diagnosis must be well defined, reliable and include examination of the head and the neck, cranial nerves and the stomatognathic system. The craniomandibular index provides a standardized examination of the stomatognathic system that has been tested on validity and reliability. This chapter focuses on the techniques of history taking clinical and psychological examination and diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular joint disorders and muscle pain.

Improved Neuropsychological and Neurological Functioning Across Three Antiretroviral Regimens in Diverse Resource-Limited Settings: AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study A5199, the International Neurological Study

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Robertson, K.; Jiang, H.; Kumwenda, J.; Supparatpinyo, K.; Evans, S.; Campbell, T. B.; Price, R.; Tripathy, S.; Kumarasamy, N.; La Rosa, A.; Santos, B.; Silva, M. T.; Montano, S.; Kanyama, C.; Faesen, S.; Murphy, R.; Hall, C.; Marra, C. M.; Marcus, C.; Berzins, B.; Allen, R.; Housseinipour, M.; Amod, F.; Sanne, I.; Hakim, J.; Walawander, A.; Nair, A.

2012-01-01

Background. AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) A5199 compared the neurological and neuropsychological (NP) effects of 3 antiretroviral regimens in participants infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in resource-limited settings. Methods. Participants from Brazil, India, Malawi, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and Zimbabwe were randomized to 3 antiretroviral treatment arms: A (lamivudine-zidovudine plus efavirenz, n = 289), B (atazanavir, emtricitabine, and didanosine-EC, n = 293), and C (emtricitabine-tenofovir-disoproxil fumarate plus efavirenz, n = 278) as part of the ACTG PEARLS study (A5175). Standardized neurological and neuropsychological (NP) screening examinations (grooved pegboard, timed gait, semantic verbal fluency, and finger tapping) were administered every 24 weeks from February 2006 to May 2010. Associations with neurological and neuropsychological function were estimated from linear and logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations. Results. The median weeks on study was 168 (Q1 = 96, Q3 = 192) for the 860 participants. NP test scores improved (P  .10). Significant country effects were noted on all NP tests and neurological outcomes (P < .01). Conclusions. The study detected no significant differences in neuropsychological and neurological outcomes between randomized ART regimens. Significant improvement occurred in neurocognitive and neurological functioning over time after initiation of ARTs. The etiology of these improvements is likely multifactorial, reflecting reduced central nervous system HIV infection, better general health, and practice effects. This study suggests that treatment with either of the World Health Organization –recommended first-line antiretroviral regimens in resource-limited settings will improve neuropsychological functioning and reduce neurological dysfunction. Clinical trials registration.  NCT00096824. PMID:22661489

Percived ethical misconduct: a survey of Neuropsychology professionals in Mexico

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Paola Fonseca

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the frequency of perceived ethical misconduct in the practice of neuropsychology in Mexico. Method: One hundred fourteen psychologists answered a survey which assessed perceptions of ethical misconduct in four areas of professional practice in the field of neuropsychology. Results: The area of professional training contained the highest percentage of perception of ethical misconduct, followed by research and publications, clinical care, and professional relationships. Conclusion: The high frequency of ethical misconduct perceived by neuropsychology professionals in Mexico is a cause for concern. The results suggest the need to create and implement a system to make sure that professionals follow the ethics standards required by the profession, and to provide consequences for those who fail to do so. The profession of neuropsychology and training of professionals in the field must be regularized in the country, to reduce the frequency of future ethical misconducts.

["Psychological employees" in psychiatry. The establishment of clinical psychology at the example of Lilo Süllwolds diagnostic efforts to incipient schizophrenia].

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Rzesnitzek, Lara

2015-01-01

Lilo Süllwold (*1930) was the first psychologist in the German Federal Republic to acquire habilitation for Clinical Psychology at a Medical Faculty. However, she had already been appointed professor for Clinical Psychology following to a new University Act implementing the recommendations of the National Council of Science and Humanities. Her habilitation treatise to justify the initial professorship appointment centered on a self-made questionnaire as a diagnostic tool for beginning schizophrenia. The manner how the questionnaire together with the politico-scientific structural changes at the German Federal universities endowed the young psychologist with a carrier in psychiatry, is an illuminating example of psychology's way into psychiatry: the institutionalization and professionalization of Clinical Psychology in psychiatry since the end of the 1950s up to the end of the 1970s. In a comparative perspective on the developments of Clinical Psychology in the German Democratic Republic, the example demonstrates not only the role of new psychological theories und methods in research and clinic in enabling the entry of the new profession into psychiatry, but also the importance of initial socio-economic and socio-politic frame conditions and decisions. The negotiation of the scope or limits of competences between doctors and psychologists created more than a professional niche inside the clinic; it changed psychiatry and psychology as academic branches in their structures due to the establishment of new Clinical Psychology departments. The role of the psychologist turned from a doctor's "assistant" into a colleague at "eye level".

The Paradox of Pelvic Exenteration: The Interaction of Clinical and Psychological Variables.

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Arnaboldi, Paola; Santoro, Luigi; Mazzocco, Ketti; Oliveri, Serena; Maggioni, Angelo; Pravettoni, Gabriella

2015-10-01

To text the feasibility of a psychological intervention package administered to 49 pelvic exenteration candidates, aimed at evaluating the preoperative prevalence of psychological distress and assessing the presence of any correlation between preoperative psychological distress and clinical variables such as pain and hospitalization length. Patients were referred to the psychology unit from the very beginning of their clinical pathway and were administered the Psychological Distress Inventory (PDI) and the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) questionnaire at prehospital admission. Patients presenting with a significant level of distress received nonstandardized psychological support. Statistical analyses were performed to detect the presence of any correlation between psychological variables at prehospital admission and clinical outcomes. The 40% of patients had significant levels of distress at prehospital admission (PDI ≥ 30). As regards Mini-MAC, the mean value of fighting spirit attitude and fatalism was higher in our sample than in the normative sample of the Mini-MAC validation study in the Italian cancer population. Their anxious preoccupation attitude was lower. There were no correlations between clinical and psychological variables: level of postsurgery pain was higher (3.7) in the subgroup of patients with presurgery PDI < 30 compared with those with PDI ≥ 30 (3.5). However, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 1.00). Considering hospitalization length, the above described trend was similar. Although highly distressed, pelvic exenteration candidates show an adaptive range of coping mechanisms. This calls for a greater effort in studying the complexity of their psychoemotional status to provide them with the best multidisciplinary care. Extensive study of the real effectiveness of psychological intervention is warranted: randomized clinical trials could help in detecting the presence of any correlation between clinical and

[Neuropsychological performance in neurofibromatosis type 1].

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Hernández Del Castillo, Lilia; Martínez Bermejo, Antonio; Portellano Pérez, José Antonio; Tirado Requero, Pilar; Garriz Luis, Alexandra; Velázquez Fragua, Ramón

2017-08-01

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder with various clinical manifestations that affect the peripheral and central nervous system, as well as the skin, bones and endocrine and vascular system. There is still insufficient knowledge of neuropsychological effects of NF1 on children, and there is some controversy about the cognitive deficits that defines the cognitive profile of patients affected by this disorder. In this study an analysis is made of the neuropsychological performance of a group of patients affected by NF1, compared with a control group of healthy children. A comparison was made between the neuropsychological performance of a group of 23 boys and girls with a mean age of 8.7 years (+/-1.39) and diagnosed with NF1, and a control group consisting of 21 healthy children, with mean age of 8.9 years (+/- 1.41) and with similar socio-demographic characteristics. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) was applied to evaluate the subjects of both groups. The group of patients affected with NF1 showed a lower performance in every primary index of WISC IV: Verbal Comprehension Index, Fluid Reasoning Index, Working Memory Index, Processing Speed Index, and full Scale IQ. Only in two subscales were no statistically significant differences observed: similarities and coding. The results show subtle and generalised neuropsychological alterations in the sample of children affected with NF1, which affect most of cognitive domains that have been evaluated. Proper specific and early neuropsychological treatment should be provided in order to prevent the high risk for these children of presenting learning difficulties and school failure. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The subjective well-being of a person as a prism of personal and socio-psychological characteristics

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Perelygina E.B.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background. Neuropsychology is a science with its own specific concepts, terms, and methods of analysis of disturbances in psychological development. One of the essential concepts of neuropsychological methodology, according to A.R. Luria, is that of a neuropsychological syndrome, which takes into account both the functional organization of the brain and the behavioral system. However, this concept isn’t mentioned in the majority of his publications, and thus is not well known by neuropsychologists. There is no clear understanding of this concept within the works of modern neuropsychologists. This omission has a strong influence on the way analysis and interpretation of developmental difficulties is carried out today. Objective. The objective of this study is to present an example of the successful application of qualitative syndromic analysis to the case of a Mexican preschool child with developmental problems and learning disabilities. Design. The clinical analysis was applied to the case of a 6 year old girl with learning disabilities, whose difficulties had been attributed primarily to a low level of general brain activation. Results. The authors assert that the advantages of A.R. Luria’s syndromic approach to clinical cases of difficulties in development and learning disabilities, are that it opens up the potential for finding the general causes on different levels: neuronal maturation, brain mechanisms, activity and personality. Conclusion. The authors conclude that the topic of syndromic analysis in child neuropsychology requires further scientific discussion. The necessity for revising levels of analysis of clinical cases should be taken in account.

Making the history of psychology clinically and philosophically relevant.

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Vande Kemp, Hendrika

2002-08-01

The author discusses ways to make the history of psychology course relevant for a clinical psychology doctoral program within a multidenominational Protestant theological seminary. She uses a personalist orientation to emphasize the need to integrate psychology, philosophy, and theology. She differentiates among the intrapersonal, interpersonal, impersonal, and transpersonal dimensions of experience. She illustrates the rich multidisciplinary historical roots of contemporary psychology by tracing the the history of the term psychology and examining its meanings in the existential psychology of Søren Kierkegaard and in the 19th-century novel. She includes brief histories of the "new psychology" and of the unconscious. She describes how she uses the field of psychotheological integration to illustrate principles of historiography and summarizes resources used to supplement traditional textbooks.

Congenital diseases of communication according to the DSM-V: updates child neuropsychology

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José Alonso Aguilar-Valera

2018-11-01

Full Text Available In this article, updates related to communication disorders, strictly congenital character, are described, according to the latest reviews published by the American Psychiatric Association in its fifth edition, which considered the main contributions of neuroscience, based on the research conducted around the theme of neurodevelopmental disorders, which during the past two decades, have attracted widespread scenario of possibilities for greater understanding of the various changes in the area of psychological development, redefining and clarifying more precisely those relevant characteristics of the various related clinical conditions. Furthermore, these studies have contributed to revealing findings, both syndromic and symptomatic level, for a better understanding of these early development disorders, being highly relevant contributions in the field of child neuropsychology, which integration of clinical and educational strategies has favored its relevant participation in treatment on these difficulties, thereby strengthening the exercise of differential diagnosis and rehabilitation of those procedures, which rigor is based on the controlled use of modern methods and approaches related to this discipline.

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: A Review and Neuropsychological Case Study.

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Loughan, Ashlee R; Allen, Aislyn; Perna, Robert; Malkin, Mark G

2016-01-01

Anti-N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor (NMDAR) Encephalitis is an autoimmune-mediated encephalitis, which may be associated with a tumor, which occurs when antibodies bind central NMDA receptors. Although typically diagnosed in women, approximately 20% of cases have been males. Due to the challenges with identification, imaging, and diverse symptom presentation, this syndrome is often misdiagnosed. Accurate diagnosis may provide an opportunity for introduction of disease-modifying therapies, which may alter disease trajectory. Moreover, neuropsychology has yet to fully clarify the pattern of impairments expected with this disorder. This manuscript reviews a single case study of a 42-year-old male diagnosed with NMDAR encephalitis. Neuropsychological evaluation was completed subsequent to diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Ongoing patient complaints, approximately six months post diagnosis, included reduced sustained attention, poor word retrieval, and daily forgetfulness. Adaptive skills were improved following rehabilitation. Direct testing revealed mildly impaired sustained attention, processing speed, oral word fluency, and executive functioning. All other cognitive domains were within estimated premorbid range, low average to average. Neuropsychological deficits were consistent with mild frontal brain dysfunction and continued recovery. This case illustrates the need for medical and psychological practitioners to understand NMDAR encephalitis, its symptom presentation, and related neuropsychological impact; particularly with the potential for misdiagnosis.

Clinical, neuropsychological, and pre-stimulus dorsomedial thalamic nucleus electrophysiological data in deep brain stimulation patients

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Catherine M. Sweeney-Reed

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The data presented here comprise clinical, neuropsychological, and intrathalamic electrophysiological data from 7 patients with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy and are related to the article “Pre-stimulus thalamic theta power predicts human memory formation” C.M. Sweeney-Reed, T. Zaehle, J. Voges, F.C. Schmitt, L. Buentjen, K. Kopitzki, et al. (2016 [1]. The patients participated in a memory paradigm after receiving electrodes implanted in the DMTN due to the surgical approach taken in electrode insertion for deep brain stimulation of the anterior thalamic nucleus. Epilepsy duration and pre-operative neuropsychological tests provide an indication of the profile of patients receiving intrathalamic electrode implantation and the memory capabilities in such a patient group. The electrophysiological data were recorded from the right DMTN preceding stimulus presentation during intentional memory encoding. The patients viewed a series of photographic scenes, which they judged as indoors or outdoors. The 900 ms epochs prior to stimulus presentation were labeled as preceding successful or unsuccessful subsequent memory formation according to a subsequent memory test for the items. The difference between theta power preceding successful versus unsuccessful subsequent memory formation is shown against time for each patient individually. Keywords: Memory encoding, Dorsomedial thalamic nucleus, Pre-stimulus theta

Neuropsychological Test Selection for Cognitive Impairment Classification: A Machine Learning Approach

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Williams, Jennifer A.; Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen; Cook, Diane J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Reducing the amount of testing required to accurately detect cognitive impairment is clinically relevant. The aim of this research was to determine the fewest number of clinical measures required to accurately classify participants as healthy older adult, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia using a suite of classification techniques. Methods Two variable selection machine learning models (i.e., naive Bayes, decision tree), a logistic regression, and two participant datasets (i.e., clinical diagnosis, clinical dementia rating; CDR) were explored. Participants classified using clinical diagnosis criteria included 52 individuals with dementia, 97 with MCI, and 161 cognitively healthy older adults. Participants classified using CDR included 154 individuals CDR = 0, 93 individuals with CDR = 0.5, and 25 individuals with CDR = 1.0+. Twenty-seven demographic, psychological, and neuropsychological variables were available for variable selection. Results No significant difference was observed between naive Bayes, decision tree, and logistic regression models for classification of both clinical diagnosis and CDR datasets. Participant classification (70.0 – 99.1%), geometric mean (60.9 – 98.1%), sensitivity (44.2 – 100%), and specificity (52.7 – 100%) were generally satisfactory. Unsurprisingly, the MCI/CDR = 0.5 participant group was the most challenging to classify. Through variable selection only 2 – 9 variables were required for classification and varied between datasets in a clinically meaningful way. Conclusions The current study results reveal that machine learning techniques can accurately classifying cognitive impairment and reduce the number of measures required for diagnosis. PMID:26332171

Neuropsychology of thallium poisoning

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McMillan, T; Jacobson, R; Gross, M

1997-01-01

Cases of thallium poisoning are rare and neuropsychological assessment has only been reported in detail in one other case. In the case reported here, neuropsychological assessments were carried out three, 12, and 54 months after diagnosis of thallium poisoning in a man who had acutely shown a number of neurological signs including confusion and disorientation and generalised slowing of EEG which was more prominent on the left. Evidence suggested that he had been exposed to thallium over a period of weeks. Neuropsychological assessment indicated an unexpected weakness in verbal abilities which persisted. This finding is consistent with the only other published case report which details neuropsychological effects after a single large dose of thallium and which also found a lateralised impairment.

 PMID:9285467

Neuropsychology in South Africa: confronting the challenges of specialist practice in a culturally diverse developing country.

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Watts, Ann D; Shuttleworth-Edwards, Ann B

2016-11-01

This was an invited paper on the history and current status of neuropsychology in South Africa. Information was gathered from literature searches, personal communication, and the authors' experiences while occupying relevant professional and academic positions for over 30 years. Since its origins in the 1950s, the development of neuropsychology in South Africa has faced numerous challenges, against a background of extreme sociocultural and socioeconomic disparity in the country that is on-going. The creation of the South African Clinical Neuropsychological Society in the 1980s, a credentialing and training body, gave impetus to the discipline. In the absence of a neuropsychology category within the South African professional framework, university instruction has been ad hoc with vastly different levels of competency depending on the institution involved. The small number of practitioners and/or academics involved in neuropsychology includes mainly masters, and some doctoral level psychologists registered in clinical, counseling or educational categories. A prime emphasis of neuropsychological research has been local norming of psychometric tests to facilitate valid assessment practices in the country. South Africa is on the cusp of achieving a hard-won neuropsychology professional register. It is anticipated that this development will provide impetus to the discipline by promoting training programs, the creation of neuropsychology posts, wider service delivery, and increased research funding. Despite significant challenges in a culturally diverse, developing country, neuropsychology has evolved sufficiently to warrant the creation of a separate category in the professional framework. This development will facilitate training, research, and services in the country.

Staff Perspectives of Service User Involvement on Two Clinical Psychology Training Courses

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Clarke, Simon P.; Holttum, Sue

2013-01-01

This study investigated both negative and positive staff perspectives of service user involvement on two clinical psychology training courses as part of an ongoing process of service evaluation. Ten clinical psychology staff from two training courses were interviewed over the telephone by a current trainee clinical psychologist using a…

Scientific communication in clinical psychology: examining patterns of citations and references.

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Kiselica, Andrew M; Ruscio, John

2014-01-01

Previous studies of scientific communication used citation mapping, establishing psychology as a 'hub science' from which many other fields draw information. Within psychology, the clinical and counselling discipline is a major 'knowledge broker'. This study analyzed scientific communication among three major subdisciplines of clinical psychology-the cognitive-behavioural, psychodynamic and humanistic schools of thought-by examining patterns of references within and citations to 305 target articles published in leading journals of these subdisciplines. The results suggest that clinical researchers of each theoretical orientation engage in more insular scientific communication than an integrationist would find desirable and that cognitive-behavioural articles are more closely connected to mainstream psychology and related fields. Eclectic practitioners draw on several different theoretical orientations to inform their practice; as such, they should be interested in understanding the patterns of scientific communication within and across theoretical orientations. Practitioners work in a variety of different mental health settings, with a variety of other professionals in psychology-related fields, and should be interested in how much influence their particular theoretical orientation has on the work of colleagues. Many practitioners rely on new, evidence-based research to inform their work. The results of this study provide these individuals with an objective measure of the influence of empirical work in different areas of clinical psychology. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Clinical-physiologic correlates of Alzheimer's disease and frontal lobe dementia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jagust, W.J.; Reed, B.R.; Seab, J.P.; Kramer, J.H.; Budinger, T.F.

1989-01-01

Thirty patients with degenerative dementia underwent clinical evaluation, neuropsychological testing, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the blood flow tracer [ 123 I]-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine. Five of these patients were clinically and psychologically different from the others, demonstrating predominant behavioral disturbances with relative preservation of memory function. These five patients, who were felt to have a frontal lobe dementia (FLD), showed SPECT perfusion patterns which differed from the remaining 25 patients, who were diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease (AD), and from 16 healthy control subjects. The FLD patients showed diminished perfusion in orbitofrontal, dorsolateral frontal, and temporal cortex relative to controls, while the AD patients showed lower perfusion in temporal and parietal cortex than controls. The FLD patients also showed hypoperfusion in both frontal cortical regions relative to AD patients. The pattern of performance on neuropsychological testing paralleled these differences in regional perfusion. These results suggest that clinical evaluation and physiological imaging may enable the differentiation of groups of degenerative dementia patients during life

The use of neuropsychological tests across Europe: the need for a consensus in the use of assessment tools for dementia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maruta, C.; Guerreiro, M.; de Mendonca, A.; Hort, J.; Scheltens, P.

2011-01-01

Background and purpose: The centres dedicated to dementia throughout Europe use different neuropsychological tests in clinical practice. The European Federation of Neurological Societies task force on neuropsychological tests produced this survey on neuropsychological tests currently being used in

Exploring the Intersection of Comparative and Clinical Psychology: An Introduction

OpenAIRE

Marston, Daniel

2017-01-01

This article serves as the introduction to the special issues of the International Journal of Comparative Psychology on the intersection of comparative and clinical psychology.  These two fields have a shared history going back to the beginnings of each.  Prominent names throughout psychology have work that crosses over between these two fields.  Freud referenced Darwin’s work throughout his work and Skinner’s research was almost exclusively comparative psychology research.  For much of the f...

Confidence Intervals for Effect Sizes: Compliance and Clinical Significance in the "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology"

Science.gov (United States)

Odgaard, Eric C.; Fowler, Robert L.

2010-01-01

Objective: In 2005, the "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology" ("JCCP") became the first American Psychological Association (APA) journal to require statistical measures of clinical significance, plus effect sizes (ESs) and associated confidence intervals (CIs), for primary outcomes (La Greca, 2005). As this represents the single largest…

The comparative importance of books: clinical psychology in the health sciences library.

Science.gov (United States)

Wehmeyer, J M; Wehmeyer, S

1999-01-01

Clinical psychology has received little attention as a subject in health sciences library collections. This study seeks to demonstrate the relative importance of the monographic literature to clinical psychology through the examination of citations in graduate student theses and dissertations at the Fordham Health Sciences Library, Wright State University. Dissertations and theses were sampled randomly; citations were classified by format, counted, and subjected to statistical analysis. Books and book chapters together account for 35% of the citations in clinical psychology dissertations, 25% in nursing theses, and 8% in biomedical sciences theses and dissertations. Analysis of variance indicates that the citations in dissertations and theses in the three areas differ significantly (F = 162.2 with 2 and 253 degrees of freedom, P = 0.0001). Dissertations and theses in biomedical sciences and nursing theses both cite significantly more journals per book than the dissertations in clinical psychology. These results support the hypothesis that users of clinical psychology literature rely more heavily on books than many other users of a health sciences library. Problems with using citation analyses in a single subject to determine a serials to monographs ratio for a health sciences library are pointed out. PMID:10219478

NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE IN A SAMPLE OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CHRONIC SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Maia

2010-12-01

Full Text Available We study the results of a descriptive and exploratory study, with the intent to understand the results of a 21 male schizophrenic patients interned in a Portuguese Mental Health Care Centre, evaluated with neuropsychological test. We tried also to link these tests with variables such as schooling, family contact or lengh of internment. The assessment instruments were: Digits Series and Vocabulary Task, both from WAIS, Raven Progressive Matrices, Rey’s Complex Figures, Luria’s Series Neuropsychological Screening, Clock Task - Neuropsychological Screening and Visual Search and Attention Test. Results show that there is not an attention deficit clinically significant, even that data suggests light attention affection; also variables like family contact and schooling appear as protective factors of memory and also seems to be important for the planning / organization functions.

Diagnostics and Neuropsychological Correction of Children with Neurosis-Like Enuresis and Encopresis

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Bereskin D.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The experience of a work with a group of children with enuresis (six patients and encopresis (one patient both of residual-organic origin is analyzed in this article. Work included psychological diagnostic techniques and psychological correction. Psychological diagnostic evaluation was directed to the measurements of different characteristics of sensorimotor reactions, memory, attention and cognitive functions. Functional characteristics of the central nervous system in children with enuresis and encopresis were approximated to those recorded in their healthy peers, while the cognitive functions in present group of children were lower. Psychological correction has included neuropsychological methods, which were aimed at the development of: visual-motor coordination, spatio-temporal organization relations and logic constructions understanding. Based on children's and parent's self-reports and based on medical records also it can be assumed that proposed psychological correction can be effective in enuresis and encopresis in children with similar characteristics, which can be observed. The significance of the functional indices evaluation of the central nervous system by measuring various characteristics of sensorimotor reactions substantiate by results obtained.

Biochemical markers and neuropsychological functioning in distal urea cycle disorders.

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Waisbren, Susan E; Cuthbertson, David; Burgard, Peter; Holbert, Amy; McCarter, Robert; Cederbaum, Stephen

2018-02-08

Urea cycle disorders often present as devastating metabolic conditions, resulting in high mortality and significant neuropsychological damage, despite treatment. The Urea Cycle Disorders Longitudinal Study is a natural history study that collects data from regular clinical follow-up and neuropsychological testing. This report examines links between biochemical markers (ammonia, glutamine, arginine, citrulline) and primary neuropsychological endpoints in three distal disorders, argininosuccinic acid synthetase deficiency (ASD or citrullinemia type I), argininosuccinic acid lyase deficiency (ASA or ALD), and arginase deficiency (ARGD). Laboratory results and test scores from neuropsychological evaluations were assessed in 145 study participants, ages 3 years and older, with ASD (n = 64), ASA (n = 65) and ARGD (n = 16). Mean full scale IQ was below the population mean of 100 ± 15 for all groups: (ASD = 79 ± 24; ASA = 71 ± 21; ARGD = 65 ± 19). The greatest deficits were noted in visual performance and motor skills for all groups. While ammonia levels remain prominent as prognostic biomarkers, other biomarkers may be equally valuable as correlates of neuropsychological functioning. Cumulative exposure to the biomarkers included in the study proved to be highly sensitive indicators of neuropsychological outcomes, even when below the cut-off levels generally considered toxic. Blood levels of biomarkers obtained on the day of neuropsychological evaluations were not correlated with measures of functioning for any disorder in any domain. The importance of cumulative exposure supports early identification and confirms the need for well-controlled management of all biochemical abnormalities (and not just ammonia) that occur in urea cycle disorders.

Supervisee self-disclosure: a clinical psychology perspective.

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Spence, Nicola; Fox, John R E; Golding, Laura; Daiches, Anna

2014-01-01

Clinical supervision is a multi-functional intervention within numerous psychotherapeutic professions, including clinical psychology. It often relies on supervisees' verbal disclosures of pertinent information. There is limited research on supervisee self-disclosure in the UK, and none using clinical psychology populations. This study aimed to address the limitations in the evidence base. It used a constructivist grounded theory methodology to investigate qualified UK clinical psychologists' use of self-disclosure in supervision in order to develop a theoretical understanding of their self-disclosure processes. Ten clinical psychologists from various time points across the career span were recruited to the study. Four core conceptual categories were identified in the analysis as being integral to participants' decision-making processes: 'Setting the Scene', 'Supervisory Relationship', 'Using Self-disclosure' and 'Reviewing Outcome of Self-disclosure'. These four categories are comprised of a number of subcategories. The study's findings are compared with the current literature base, and it is argued that there are tensions with the scientist-practitioner model as it could be interpreted to encourage an expert stance, which may limit the self-disclosure of qualified supervisees. The implications of this perspective are discussed. Supervision is a key process in supporting qualified clinical psychologists and the use of disclosure appears to be important in facilitating useful supervision. It appears that clinical psychologists go through a number of complex processes in deciding whether to self disclose. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Behavioral and Psychological Assessment of Child Sexual Abuse in Clinical Practice

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Malhotra, Savita; Biswas, Parthasarathy

2006-01-01

This paper discusses the behavioral and psychological assessment of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) in clinical practice. Following a brief introduction regarding definition and etiology of CSA and discussion on issues of behavioral/psychological consequences of CSA, the paper reviews the various approaches towards behavioral/psychological assessment in…

Sex differences in neuropsychological performance and social functioning in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

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Vaskinn, Anja; Sundet, Kjetil; Simonsen, Carmen; Hellvin, Tone; Melle, Ingrid; Andreassen, Ole A

2011-07-01

To investigate sex differences in neurocognition and social functioning in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and the possible role of sex as a moderator of this relationship. Participants with schizophrenia (60 women/94 men), bipolar I disorder (55 women/51 men), and healthy controls (158 women/182 men) were assessed with an extensive neuropsychological test battery and a social functioning questionnaire. We found significant main effects of sex for neuropsychological tests (p neuropsychological tests (except attention and working memory). Both clinical groups performed below healthy controls for all neuropsychological tests (except attention). Post hoc comparisons of persons with schizophrenia and healthy controls yielded significant interaction effects (p neuropsychological tests (California Verbal Learning Test II [CVLT-II], Color-Word Interference, and Interference/Switching), with men with schizophrenia being disproportionally disadvantaged compared with their female counterparts. Regression analyses investigating sex as a moderator between neurocognition and social functioning showed that neurocognition predicted social functioning in schizophrenia, whereas sex predicted social functioning in healthy controls. Sex was not a moderator in any of the three groups. This study is the first to find neurocognitive sex differences for bipolar disorder and replicated previous findings for schizophrenia. The data did not support the hypothesis that sex is a moderator between neurocognition and social functioning. Clinical implications include the use of different cognitive remediation strategies based on sex. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Prefrontal Control and Internet Addiction: A Theoretical Model and Review of Neuropsychological and Neuroimaging Findings

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Brand, Matthias; Young, Kimberly S.; Laier, Christian

2014-01-01

Most people use the Internet as a functional tool to perform their personal goals in everyday-life such as making airline or hotel reservations. However, some individuals suffer from a loss of control over their Internet use resulting in personal distress, symptoms of psychological dependence, and diverse negative consequences. This phenomenon is often referred to as Internet addiction. Only Internet Gaming Disorder has been included in the appendix of the DSM-5, but it has already been argued that Internet addiction could also comprise problematic use of other applications with cybersex, online relations, shopping, and information search being Internet facets at risk for developing an addictive behavior. Neuropsychological investigations have pointed out that certain prefrontal functions in particular executive control functions are related to symptoms of Internet addiction, which is in line with recent theoretical models on the development and maintenance of the addictive use of the Internet. Control processes are particularly reduced when individuals with Internet addiction are confronted with Internet-related cues representing their first choice use. For example, processing Internet-related cues interferes with working memory performance and decision making. Consistent with this, results from functional neuroimaging and other neuropsychological studies demonstrate that cue-reactivity, craving, and decision making are important concepts for understanding Internet addiction. The findings on reductions in executive control are consistent with other behavioral addictions, such as pathological gambling. They also emphasize the classification of the phenomenon as an addiction, because there are also several similarities with findings in substance dependency. The neuropsychological and neuroimaging results have important clinical impact, as one therapy goal should enhance control over the Internet use by modifying specific cognitions and Internet use expectancies

Prefrontal control and internet addiction: a theoretical model and review of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Matthias; Young, Kimberly S; Laier, Christian

2014-01-01

Most people use the Internet as a functional tool to perform their personal goals in everyday-life such as making airline or hotel reservations. However, some individuals suffer from a loss of control over their Internet use resulting in personal distress, symptoms of psychological dependence, and diverse negative consequences. This phenomenon is often referred to as Internet addiction. Only Internet Gaming Disorder has been included in the appendix of the DSM-5, but it has already been argued that Internet addiction could also comprise problematic use of other applications with cybersex, online relations, shopping, and information search being Internet facets at risk for developing an addictive behavior. Neuropsychological investigations have pointed out that certain prefrontal functions in particular executive control functions are related to symptoms of Internet addiction, which is in line with recent theoretical models on the development and maintenance of the addictive use of the Internet. Control processes are particularly reduced when individuals with Internet addiction are confronted with Internet-related cues representing their first choice use. For example, processing Internet-related cues interferes with working memory performance and decision making. Consistent with this, results from functional neuroimaging and other neuropsychological studies demonstrate that cue-reactivity, craving, and decision making are important concepts for understanding Internet addiction. The findings on reductions in executive control are consistent with other behavioral addictions, such as pathological gambling. They also emphasize the classification of the phenomenon as an addiction, because there are also several similarities with findings in substance dependency. The neuropsychological and neuroimaging results have important clinical impact, as one therapy goal should enhance control over the Internet use by modifying specific cognitions and Internet use expectancies.

The neuropsychological function of children with achondroplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wigg, Kimberley; Tofts, Louise; Benson, Suzanne; Porter, Melanie

2016-11-01

The current observational study had three specific objectives: (i) to document any neuropsychological impairment in a sample of children with achondroplasia; (ii) to explore individual variability; and (iii) to determine the functional impact of any impairments. Fourteen children aged between 6 and 15 years with a medically confirmed diagnosis of achondroplasia (FGFR 3 mutation positive) underwent a comprehensive standardized neuropsychological evaluation. On average, while generally still within normal limits, significantly lower scores compared to standardized means were identified on: Full-scale IQ, verbal IQ, working memory, arithmetic, attention, executive functioning and aspects of day-to-day emotional, social, and behavioral functioning. Clinically significant levels of impairment at a group level were identified on measures of: arithmetic, attention, and executive functioning. There was variability among the group and for most measures scores ranged from impaired to within normal limits. A high percentage of children were impaired on measures of: verbal IQ, attention and executive functioning. Results of this study suggest a need for individual neuropsychological evaluation and monitoring of children with achondroplasia and suggest verbal IQ, arithmetic, attention, and executive functioning are particularly common areas of impairment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychology's contribution to the well-being of older americans.

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Gatz, Margaret; Smyer, Michael A; DiGilio, Deborah A

2016-01-01

In concert with 6 decennial White House Conferences on Aging, psychologists have considered how developments in psychological science can contribute to the well-being of older Americans. We suggest 5 illustrative areas of psychological research: Advances in neuroscience elucidate ways to promote healthy cognitive aging; associated developments in neuropsychological assessment can help in protecting older Americans with cognitive losses from financial exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Psychological research on decision making and behavioral economics has much to offer to planning for retirement security and reducing vulnerability to financial abuse. Psychological research on self-management and behavior change can contribute importantly to enhancing good health behaviors among older adults; similarly the power of context on behavior can be harnessed in long-term care settings. Psychological research on attitudes and stereotypes gives insight into age bias that can be detrimental to healthy aging. Adaptive technologies and information technologies are beginning to transform assessment in research and clinical settings; technology also holds the promise of improving long-term support for older adults in both institutional and community-based settings. Finally, with 1 in 7 Americans now ages 65 and older, compared with 1 in 11 50 years ago, the psychology workforce-including health services providers and faculty to train those providers-is insufficient to meet the challenge of the aging population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Clinical characteristics, surgical and neuropsychological outcomes in drug resistant tumoral temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravat, Sangeeta; Iyer, Vivek; Muzumdar, Dattatraya; Shah, Urvashi; Pradhan, Pranjali; Jain, Neeraj; Godge, Yogesh

2016-12-01

Glioneuronal tumors are found in nearly one third patients who undergo surgery for pharmacoresistant epilepsy with temporal lobe being the most common location. Few studies, however have concentrated on the neurological and neuropsychological outcomes after surgery, hitherto none from India. We studied 34 patients with temporal lobe tumors and drug resistant epilepsy. These patients underwent anterior temporal lobectomy or lesionectomy based on the involvement of the hippocampus and mesial temporal structures. The clinical history, EEG, neuropsychology profile and MRI were compared. Seizure outcome was categorized using Engel's classification. At a mean follow up of 62 months, 85.29% of the patients were seizure free (Engel's Class I). All 8 patients with intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) guided resection were seizure free. Presence of a residual lesion was significantly associated with persistence of seizures post surgery (p = 0.002). Group analysis revealed no significant shifts in IQ and memory scores postoperatively. There was a significant improvement in the quality of life scores (total and across all subdomains) in all patients (p temporal lobe tumors and refractory epilepsy offers complete seizure freedom in majority. Complete surgical excision of the epileptogenic zone is of paramount importance in achieving seizure freedom. Intraoperative electrocorticography (EcoG) is a useful adjunct to ensure complete removal of epileptogenic zone, thus achieving optimal seizure freedom. There is a significant improvement in the quality of life scores (p < 0.001) with no negative impact of surgery on memory and intelligence. Even the patients who are not seizure free can achieve worthwhile improvement post surgery. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychological Profile of Children with Subcortical Band Heterotopia

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Spencer-Smith, Megan; Leventer, Richard; Jacobs, Rani; De Luca, Cinzia; Anderson, Vicki

2009-01-01

Aim: Subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) or "double cortex" is a malformation of cortical development resulting from impaired neuronal migration. So far, research has focused on the neurological, neuroimaging, and genetic correlates of SBH. More recently, clinical reports and small sample studies have documented neuropsychological dysfunction in…

Ayahuasca in adolescence: a neuropsychological assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Doering-Silveira, Evelyn; Lopez, Enrique; Grob, Charles S; de Rios, Marlene Dobkin; Alonso, Luisa K; Tacla, Cristiane; Shirakawa, Itiro; Bertolucci, Paulo H; Da Silveira, Dartiu X

2005-06-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate neuropsychologically adolescents who use ayahuasca in a religious context. A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to adolescents who use ayahuasca. These subjects were compared to a matched control group of adolescents who did not use ayahuasca. The controls were matched with regards to sex, age, and education. The neuropsychological battery included tests of speeded attention, visual search, sequencing, psychomotor speed, verbal and visual abilities, memory, and mental flexibility. The statistical results for subjects from matched controls on neuropsychological measures were computed using independent t-tests. Overall, statistical findings suggested that there was no significant difference between the two groups on neuropsychological measures. Even though, the data overall supports that there was not a difference between ayahuasca users and matched controls on neuropsychological measures, further studies are necessary to support these findings.

Neuropsychological, neurological and functional outcome following pallidotomy for Parkinson's disease. A consecutive series of eight simultaneous bilateral and twelve unilateral procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, R; Gregory, R; Hines, N; Carroll, C; Hyman, N; Papanasstasiou, V; Leather, C; Rowe, J; Silburn, P; Aziz, T

1998-04-01

Intellectual, psychological and functional outcomes were evaluated in a consecutive series of 20 Parkinsonian patients who had unilateral (UPVP) or simultaneous bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy (BPVP) using Image Fusion and Stereoplan (Radionics Inc., Boston, Mass., USA) with stimulation for lesion localization. Comprehensive baseline and 3-month postoperative neuropsychological and neurological assessment protocols were administered together with questionnaire measures of functional disability, quality of life and psychological symptomatology. Changes in patients' clinical presentation and scores on psychometric tests, questionnaires and observational rating scales were then examined. We observed no new neuropsychiatric sequelae directly related to pallidotomy. Cognitive sequelae were restricted to selective reductions in categorical verbal fluency following UPVP (P improvement on neurological rating scales; following UPVP, Total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores improved by 27% (P improvement was 53% (P improvements in 'quality of life' also achieved statistical significance on a number of both physical and psychosocial questionnaire subscales.

Psychological functioning in adolescents referred to specialist gender identity clinics across Europe: a clinical comparison study between four clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

de Graaf, Nastasja M; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Carmichael, Polly; de Vries, Annelou L C; Dhondt, Karlien; Laridaen, Jolien; Pauli, Dagmar; Ball, Juliane; Steensma, Thomas D

2018-07-01

Adolescents seeking professional help with their gender identity development often present with psychological difficulties. Existing literature on psychological functioning of gender diverse young people is limited and mostly bound to national chart reviews. This study examined the prevalence of psychological functioning and peer relationship problems in adolescents across four European specialist gender services (The Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and Switzerland), using the Child Behavioural Checklist (CBCL) and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Differences in psychological functioning and peer relationships were found in gender diverse adolescents across Europe. Overall, emotional and behavioural problems and peer relationship problems were most prevalent in adolescents from the UK, followed by Switzerland and Belgium. The least behavioural and emotional problems and peer relationship problems were reported by adolescents from The Netherlands. Across the four clinics, a similar pattern of gender differences was found. Birth-assigned girls showed more behavioural problems and externalising problems in the clinical range, as reported by their parents. According to self-report, internalising problems in the clinical range were more prevalent in adolescent birth-assigned boys. More research is needed to gain a better understanding of the difference in clinical presentations in gender diverse adolescents and to investigate what contextual factors that may contribute to this.

Oculomotor and neuropsychological effects of antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristian S. Hill

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Cognitive enhancement has become an important target for drug therapies in schizophrenia. Treatment development in this area requires assessment approaches that are sensitive to procognitive effects of antipsychotic and adjunctive treatments. Ideally, new treatments will have translational characteristics for parallel human and animal research. Previous studies of antipsychotic effects on cognition have relied primarily on paper-and-pencil neuropsychological testing. No study has directly compared neurophysiological biomarkers and neuropsychological testing as strategies for assessing cognitive effects of antipsychotic treatment early in the course of schizophrenia. Anti psychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia were tested before treatment with risperidone and again 6 weeks later. Matched healthy participants were tested over a similar time period. Test-retest reliability, effect sizes of within-subject change, and multivariate/univariate analysis of variance were used to compare 3 neurophysiological tests (visually guided saccade, memory-guided saccade, and antisaccade with neuropsychological tests covering 4 cognitive domains (executive function, attention, memory, and manual motor function. While both measurement approaches showed robust neurocognitive impairments in patients prior to risperidone treatment, oculomotor biomarkers were more sensitive to treatment-related effects on neurocognitive function than traditional neuropsychological measures. Further, unlike the pattern of modest generalized cognitive improvement suggested by neuropsychological measures, the oculomotor findings revealed a mixed pattern of beneficial and adverse treatment related effects. These findings warrant further investigation regarding the utility of neurophysiological biomarkers for assessing cognitive outcomes of antipsychotic treatment in clinical trials and in early-phase drug development.

[Forensic assessments from the Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology in retrospect; applications of genetics and neuroscience, in 2000 and 2009].

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Ter Harmsel, J F; Molendijk, T; van El, C G; M'charek, A; Kempes, M; Rinne, T; Pieters, T

2016-01-01

Developments in neurosciences and genetics are relevant for forensic psychiatry. To find out whether and how genetic and neuroscientific applications are being used in forensic psychiatric assessments, and, if they are, to estimate to what extent new applications will fit in with these uses. We analysed 60 forensic psychiatric assessments from the Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, Pieter Baan Center, and 30 non-clinical assessments from 2000 and 2009. We found that (behavioral) genetic, neurological and neuropsychological applications played only a modest role in forensic psychiatric assessment and they represent different phases of the implementation process. Neuropsychological assessment already occupied a position of some importance, but needed to be better integrated. Applications from neurology were still being developed. Clinical genetic assessment was being used occasionally in order to diagnose a genetic syndrome with behavioral consequences. If further validated information becomes available in the future, it should be possible to integrate new research methods more fully into current clinical practice.

Conducting research in clinical psychology practice: Barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kirsten V; Thew, Graham R

2017-09-01

The combination of clinical psychologists' therapeutic expertise and research training means that they are in an ideal position to be conducting high-quality research projects. However, despite these skills and the documented benefits of research to services and service users, research activity in practice remains low. This article aims to give an overview of the advantages of, and difficulties in conducting research in clinical practice. We reviewed the relevant literature on barriers to research and reflected on our clinical and research experiences in a range of contexts to offer practical recommendations. We considered factors involved in the planning, sourcing support, implementation, and dissemination phases of research, and outline suggestions to improve the feasibility of research projects in post-qualification roles. We suggest that research leadership is particularly important within clinical psychology to ensure the profession's continued visibility and influence within health settings. Clinical implications Emerging evidence suggests that clinical settings that foster research are associated with better patient outcomes. Suggestions to increase the feasibility of research projects in clinical settings are detailed. Limitations The present recommendations are drawn from the authors' practical experience and may need adaptation to individual practitioners' settings. This study does not attempt to assess the efficacy of the strategies suggested. © 2017 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Neuropsychological predictors of dementia in a three-year follow-up period: data from the LADIS study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madureira, Sofia; Verdelho, Ana; Moleiro, Carla

2010-01-01

White matter changes (WMC) are related to cognitive deficits and dementia. Our aim was to determine the extent to which the performance in neuropsychological tests would be able to predict the clinical diagnosis of dementia.......White matter changes (WMC) are related to cognitive deficits and dementia. Our aim was to determine the extent to which the performance in neuropsychological tests would be able to predict the clinical diagnosis of dementia....

Neuropsychological Functioning in Obsessive-Compulsive Washers: Drug-Naive Without Depressive Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Saremi, Ali Akbar; Shariat, Seyed Vahid; Nazari, Mohammad Ali; Dolatshahi, Behrooz

2017-01-01

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a complex and heterogeneous neuropsychiatric syndrome. Contamination obsessions and washing/cleaning compulsions are the most frequent clinical OCD subtypes. The current study aimed at examining the neuropsychological impairments in drug-naive obsessive-compulsive (OC) washers without depressive symptoms and their association with the severity of symptoms. In the current causal-comparative study, 35 patients with diagnostic and statistical mental disorders class (DSM)-IV diagnosed with washing-subtype OCD and 35 healthy subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method and evaluated by computerized neuropsychology battery and clinical tests as Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Go/No-Go Test, Digits Forward (DF), Digits Backward (DB), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-28. The patients were matched to the comparison group with regard to age, gender, intelligence quotient (IQ), education, and handedness. All the tests were standardized in Iran. SPSS version 20.00 was used for descriptive and analytical data analysis. There was no statistically significant different between the OCD washing and the control groups regarding socio-demographic variables or IQ. There were significant differences between the OC washer and the healthy control groups on the neuropsychological functioning. The obtained results suggested that OC washers performed significantly worse on neuropsychological measures than the controls. There was no significant association between the severity of OC symptoms and the neuropsychological functions in the OCD washing group. It was concluded that executive function impairment, which is a core feature in OC washers was trait-like in nature.

Work-related stress is associated with impaired neuropsychological test performance: a clinical cross-sectional study.

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Eskildsen, Anita; Andersen, Lars Peter; Pedersen, Anders Degn; Vandborg, Sanne Kjær; Andersen, Johan Hviid

2015-01-01

Patients on sick leave due to work-related stress often complain about impaired concentration and memory. However, it is undetermined how widespread these impairments are, and which cognitive domains are most long-term stress sensitive. Previous studies show inconsistent results and are difficult to synthesize. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether patients with work-related stress complaints have cognitive impairments compared to a matched control group without stress. Our secondary aim was to examine whether the level of self-reported perceived stress is associated with neuropsychological test performance. We used a broad neuropsychological test battery to assess 59 outpatients with work-related stress complaints (without major depression) and 59 healthy controls. We matched the patients and controls pairwise by sex, age and educational level. Compared to controls, patients generally showed mildly reduced performance across all the measured domains of the neuropsychological test battery. However, only three comparisons reached statistical significance (p working memory. There were no statistical significant associations between self-reported perceived stress level and neuropsychological test performance. In conclusion, we recommend that cognitive functions should be considered when evaluating patients with work-related stress complaints, especially when given advice regarding return to work. Since this study had a cross-sectional design, it is still uncertain whether the impairments are permanent. Further study is required to establish causal links between work-related stress and cognitive deficits.

Use of Social Desirability Scales in Clinical Psychology: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Perinelli, Enrico; Gremigni, Paola

2016-06-01

There is still an open debate about the utility of social desirability indicators. This report systematically reviewed the use of social desirability scales in studies addressing social desirability in clinical psychology. A systematic review (January 2010-March 2015) was conducted, including 35 studies meeting the inclusion criteria of being published in peer-reviewed journals and describing quantitative findings about an association of social desirability with clinical psychology variables using a cross-sectional or longitudinal design. Social desirability was associated with self-reports of various clinical-psychological dimensions. Most of the included studies treated social desirability as a 1-dimensional variable and only 10 of 35 disentangled the impression management and self-deception components. Although theoretical literature does not consider social desirability a mere response bias, only 4 of the reviewed articles controlled for the possible suppressor effect of personality variables on social desirability, while the majority focused upon the stylistic (response bias) rather than the substantive (personality) nature of this construct. The present review highlighted some limitations in the use of social desirability scales in recent clinical psychology research and tried to offer a few suggestions for handling this issue. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The posttraumatic stress disorder project in Brazil: neuropsychological, structural and molecular neuroimaging studies in victims of urban violence.

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Bressan, Rodrigo A; Quarantini, Lucas C; Andreoli, Sérgio B; Araújo, Celia; Breen, Gerome; Guindalini, Camila; Hoexter, Marcelo; Jackowski, Andrea P; Jorge, Miguel R; Lacerda, Acioly L T; Lara, Diogo R; Malta, Stella; Moriyama, Tais S; Quintana, Maria I; Ribeiro, Wagner S; Ruiz, Juliana; Schoedl, Aline F; Shih, Ming C; Figueira, Ivan; Koenen, Karestan C; Mello, Marcelo F; Mari, Jair J

2009-06-01

Life trauma is highly prevalent in the general population and posttraumatic stress disorder is among the most prevalent psychiatric consequences of trauma exposure. Brazil has a unique environment to conduct translational research about psychological trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder, since urban violence became a Brazilian phenomenon, being particularly related to the rapid population growth of its cities. This research involves three case-control studies: a neuropsychological, a structural neuroimaging and a molecular neuroimaging study, each focusing on different objectives but providing complementary information. First, it aims to examine cognitive functioning of PTSD subjects and its relationships with symptomatology. The second objective is to evaluate neurostructural integrity of orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus in PTSD subjects. The third aim is to evaluate if patients with PTSD have decreased dopamine transporter density in the basal ganglia as compared to resilient controls subjects. This paper shows the research rationale and design for these three case-control studies. Cases and controls will be identified through an epidemiologic survey conducted in the city of São Paulo. Subjects exposed to traumatic life experiences resulting in posttraumatic stress disorder (cases) will be compared to resilient victims of traumatic life experiences without PTSD (controls) aiming to identify biological variables that might protect or predispose to PTSD. In the neuropsychological case-control study, 100 patients with PTSD, will be compared with 100 victims of trauma without posttraumatic stress disorder, age- and sex-matched controls. Similarly, 50 cases and 50 controls will be enrolled for the structural study and 25 cases and 25 controls in the functional neuroimaging study. All individuals from the three studies will complete psychometrics and a structured clinical interview (the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and the Clinician

The posttraumatic stress disorder project in Brazil: neuropsychological, structural and molecular neuroimaging studies in victims of urban violence

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Bressan Rodrigo A

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Life trauma is highly prevalent in the general population and posttraumatic stress disorder is among the most prevalent psychiatric consequences of trauma exposure. Brazil has a unique environment to conduct translational research about psychological trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder, since urban violence became a Brazilian phenomenon, being particularly related to the rapid population growth of its cities. This research involves three case-control studies: a neuropsychological, a structural neuroimaging and a molecular neuroimaging study, each focusing on different objectives but providing complementary information. First, it aims to examine cognitive functioning of PTSD subjects and its relationships with symptomatology. The second objective is to evaluate neurostructural integrity of orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus in PTSD subjects. The third aim is to evaluate if patients with PTSD have decreased dopamine transporter density in the basal ganglia as compared to resilient controls subjects. This paper shows the research rationale and design for these three case-control studies. Methods and design Cases and controls will be identified through an epidemiologic survey conducted in the city of São Paulo. Subjects exposed to traumatic life experiences resulting in posttraumatic stress disorder (cases will be compared to resilient victims of traumatic life experiences without PTSD (controls aiming to identify biological variables that might protect or predispose to PTSD. In the neuropsychological case-control study, 100 patients with PTSD, will be compared with 100 victims of trauma without posttraumatic stress disorder, age- and sex-matched controls. Similarly, 50 cases and 50 controls will be enrolled for the structural study and 25 cases and 25 controls in the functional neuroimaging study. All individuals from the three studies will complete psychometrics and a structured clinical interview (the Structured

Neuropsychological Assessment in Schools. ERIC Digest.

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Merz, William R., Sr.; And Others

The nature of neuropsychological assessment and its application in the school environment are discussed. Neuropsychology is the study of how the brain and nervous system affect thinking and behavior. A complete neuropsychological assessment requires gathering and analyzing information on a child's: (1) physical, social, and psychological…

Specific learning disabilities in children: deficits and neuropsychological profile.

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Kohli, Adarsh; Malhotra, Savita; Mohanty, Manju; Khehra, Nitasha; Kaur, Manreet

2005-06-01

The public is gradually becoming aware of specific learning disabilities (SLDs), which are very often the cause of academic difficulties. The aim of the study was to assess the SLDs in the clinic population at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh using the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences SLD index and subsequently to assess the children's neuropsychological functions using a battery of tests. Thirty-five children in the age range of 7-14 years (both boys and girls) were recruited as the cohort, diagnosed clinically and assessed using the battery of tests for SLDs and neuropsychological tests consisting of the PGIMER memory scale for children, the Wisconsin card sorting test, the Bender visuo-motor gestalt test and Malin's intelligence scale for Indian children. The study revealed deficits in language and writing skills and impairments in specific areas of memory, executive functions and perceptuo-motor tasks. Identification of SLDs is useful in drawing up a treatment plan specific for a particular child.

The decade 1989-1998 in Spanish psychology: an analysis of research in personality, assessment, and psychological treatment (clinical and health psychology).

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Sanz, J

2001-11-01

The aim of this study is to analyze Spanish research published between 1989 and 1998 in clinical psychology and its most directly related psychological disciplines: personality psychology, psychopathology, differential psychology, health psychology, and psychological assessment. A search was performed in the various databases of the works published in that decade by Spanish university professors who investigate in these areas. Their localization was verified by direct correspondence with the professors, to whom was also sent a questionnaire to evaluate their research field and preferred theoretical approach. The 2,079 works located allowed me to identify 85 different research trends. These research trends are characterized by the predominance of applied studies over basic studies, of empirical research over theoretical research, and of the cognitive-behavioral approach over the rest of the theoretical orientations. In addition, various bibliometrical indicators of production, dissemination, and impact were calculated. They revealed that productivity and dissemination of Spanish research in these areas grew considerably during this 1989-98 period.

Psychology of the scientist: LXXXI. Professional school and traditional program graduates: comparison on measures of achievement in clinical psychology.

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Templer, D I; Tomeo, M E; Pointkowski, S R; Mitroff, D; Niederhauser, R N; Siscoe, K

2000-06-01

Clinical psychologists who graduated from traditional programs and those who graduated from professional schools were compared on both scientifically and professionally oriented criteria of achievement and recognition. Upon controlling for year of graduation from a doctoral program, the professional school graduates were less likely to be APA fellows, less likely to be on the editorial board of specified research oriented journals in clinical psychology, less likely to have diplomate status in the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), less likely to have been president of state psychological associations, and less likely to have been APPIC internship directors.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN THE ALZHEIMER DISEASE: EPISODIC AND SEMANTIC MEMORY

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Ana Comesaña

2009-12-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to review the neuropsychological evaluation process in Alzheimer (AD patients, specifically that related to episodic and semantic memory. Alzheimer-style dementia is the main form of dementia, and is nowadays one of the most important social, cultural and health-related problems. Diagnosis and differentiation from normal aging are difficult in the initial stages, and so neuropsychological evaluation is key. The criteria currently utilized are those of the DSM IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994 and of the NINCDS-ADRDA (Instituto Nacional para los Desórdenes Neurológicos, de la Comunicación y el Accidente Cerebro Vascular y la Asociación para la Enfermedad de Alzheimer y Desórdenes Relacionados (McKhann G, Drachman D, Folstein M, y col., 1984, and they require that the diagnosis of probable AD be confirmed by neuropsychological evaluation in addition to clinical evaluation and other studies. After the division of long term memory into semantic and episodic memory was made, specific tests were created for their neuropsychological evaluation in different pathologies, including AD. An important contribution to the early detection of memory deterioration typical of such illness was thus made.

[Neuropsychological rehabilitation in wartime].

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García-Molina, Alberto; Roig-Rovira, Teresa

2013-11-16

The decrease in the rate of mortality due to brain damage during the First World War resulted in a large number of veterans with neurological or neuropsychological sequelae. This situation, which was unknown up until then, called for the development of new therapeutic approaches to help them reach acceptable levels of autonomy. This article reviews the relationship between neuropsychological rehabilitation and warfare, and describes the contributions made by different professionals in this field in the two great conflicts of the 20th century. The First World War was to mark the beginning of neuropsychological rehabilitation as we know it today. Some of the most outstanding contributions in that period were those made by Goldstein and Popplereuter in Germany or Franz in the United States. The Second World War was to consolidate this healthcare discipline, the leading figures at that time being Zangwill in England and Luria in the Soviet Union. Despite being of less importance, geopolitically speaking, the study also includes the Yom Kippur War, which exemplifies how warfare can stimulate the development of neuropsychological intervention programmes. Today's neuropsychological rehabilitation programmes are closely linked to the interventions used in wartime by Goldstein, Zangwill or Luria. The means employed may have changed, but the aims are still the same, i.e. to help people with brain damage manage to adapt to their new lives.

A Review of literature on the clinical psychological study on the hearing impaired in Japan

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Fujitomo, Masakazu

2002-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to review literatures about past clinical psychological studies on the hearing impaired in japan, in order to get suggestions about subjects on psychological supports and clinical psychological studies for the hearing impaired in Japan. First, in the topic of the history and subjects on the clinical psychological study and psycological supports for the hearing impaired, it was showed that the pathological viewpoint was taken place for the cultural viewpoint in th...

INTERFERON BETA IN TREATMENT OF DISSEMINATED SCLEROSIS IN ADOLESCENTS — INFLUENCE ON NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL STATUS AND PAROXYSMAL STATES

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A.N. Platonova

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Disseminated sclerosis is chronic progressive disease of central nervous system, which is characterized by demyelination, degeneration of nerve fibers and polymorphous clinical symptoms. According to literature data, 2–10% of patients have onset of a disease in childhood and adolescence. Frequent clinical symptoms of disseminated sclerosis, especially in adolescents, are paroxysmal states and neuropsychological disorders. Drugs containing interferon beta which are used for immunomodulating treatment, can increase the rate of paroxysmal neuropsychological disorders in patients with disseminated sclerosis. Present study with participation of 78 adolescents analyzed frequency and spectrum of neuropsychological disorders and paroxysmal states in patients 12–17 years old and relation of revealed disorders with a treatment with interferon beta.Key words: adolescents, disseminated sclerosis, interferon beta, treatment, depression, paroxysmal states, anxiety, neuropsychological testing.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. – 2010;9(4:34-39

Characteristics of specific reading disability in children from a neuropsychological clinic in Mexico City

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Poblano Adrián

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. This report describes the main clinical features associated with specific reading disability (RD in a group of 778 school-age children studied in a Neuropsychological Clinic in Mexico City. Material and Methods. The study was performed retrospectively, using data abstracted from clinical records of subjects seen in 1995-1996. Children were mainly from low and middle economic strata and aged between 6 to 12 years. The following data were collected: age, gender, diagnosis, school grade, food intake, maternal complications during pregnancy, perinatal and postnatal neurological risk factors, and neurological signs and handedness. Results. Subjects with RD had a mean age of 102.9 months, were predominantly male (male female ratio, 2:1. Among the study group, 49.1% of the children were diagnosed with RD of a visuo-sensory-motor type, and 75.1% were from early school years (1st to 3rd grades; 27.6% showed evidence of malnutrition. A previous history of language disorders (49.2%, and a high frequency of perinatal risk factors and neurological soft signs were also found. Conclusions. This study shows that variables such as gender, food intake, and genetic and neurological risk factors, were associated with reading disabilities in school children.

International perspectives on education, training, and practice in clinical neuropsychology: comparison across 14 countries around the world.

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Grote, Christopher L; Novitski, Julia I

2016-11-01

To review and summarize data provided by special issue authors regarding the education, training, and practice of neuropsychologists from 14 surveyed countries. A table was constructed to present an overview of variables of interest. There is considerable diversity among surveyed countries regarding the education and training required to enter practice as a clinical neuropsychologist. Clinical neuropsychologists are typically well compensated, at least in comparison to what constitutes an average salary in each country. Despite substantial variations in education and training pathways, and availability of neuropsychologists from country to country, two common areas for future development are suggested. First, identification, development, and measurement of core competencies for neuropsychological education and practice are needed that can serve as a unifying element for the world's clinical neuropsychologists. Second, greater emphasis on recognizing and addressing the need for assessment and treatment of diverse populations is needed if the world's citizens can hope to benefit from the expertise of practitioners in our field.

Prefrontal control and Internet addiction: A theoretical model and review of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings

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Matthias eBrand

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Most people use the Internet as a functional tool to perform their personal goals in everyday-life such as making airline or hotel reservations. However, some individuals suffer from a loss of control over their Internet use resulting in personal distress, symptoms of psychological dependence, and diverse negative consequences. This phenomenon is often referred to as Internet addiction. Only Internet Gaming Disorder has been included in the appendix of the DSM-5, but it has already been argued that Internet addiction could also comprise problematic use of other applications with cybersex, online relations, shopping, and information search being Internet facets at risk for developing an addictive behavior. Neuropsychological investigations have pointed out that certain prefrontal functions in particular executive control functions are related to symptoms of Internet addiction, which is in line with recent theoretical models on the development and maintenance of the addictive use of the Internet. Control processes are particularly reduced when individuals with Internet addiction are confronted with Internet-related cues representing their first choice use. For example, processing Internet-related cues interferes with working memory performance and decision making. Consistent with this, results from functional neuroimaging and other neuropsychological studies demonstrate that cue-reactivity, craving, and decision making are important concepts for understanding Internet addiction. The findings on reductions in executive control are consistent with other behavioral addictions, such as pathological gambling. They also emphasize the classification of the phenomenon as an addiction, because there are also several similarities with findings in substance dependency. The neuropsychological and neuroimaging results have important clinical impact, as one therapy goal should be to enhance control over the Internet use by modifying specific cognitions and

Clinical leadership, structural empowerment and psychological empowerment of registered nurses working in an emergency department.

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Connolly, Megan; Jacobs, Stephen; Scott, Karyn

2018-04-19

To examine clinical leadership of registered nurses in an emergency department, based on evidence that it is important for nurses to feel psychologically and structurally empowered in order to act as clinical leaders. Every registered nurse has the ability to act as a clinical leader. Clinical leadership is the registered nurse's behaviours that provide direction and support to patients and the team in the delivery of patient care. This study explores the connection between the need for structural and psychological empowerment and clinical leadership behaviours. A mixed method, non-experimental survey design was used to examine the psychological empowerment, structural empowerment and clinical leadership of registered nurses working in an emergency department. Emergency department nurses believe they show clinical leadership behaviours most of the time, even though their sense of being psychologically empowered is only moderate. While registered nurses believe they perform clinical leadership behaviours, it is also clear that improvements in structural and psychological empowerment would improve their ability to act as clinical leaders. The results show that for nurses to be able to provide clinical leadership to their patients and colleagues, management must create empowering environments. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Facing the experience of pain: A neuropsychological perspective

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Fabbro, Franco; Crescentini, Cristiano

2014-09-01

Pain is an experience that none of us would like to have but that each one of us is destined to experience in our lives. Despite its pervasiveness, the experience of pain remains problematic and complex in its depth. Pain is a multidimensional experience that involves nociception as well as emotional and cognitive aspects that can modulate its perception. Following a brief discussion of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying pain, the purpose of this review is to discuss the main psychological, neuropsychological, cultural, and existential aspects which are the basis of diverse forms of pain, like the pain of separation from caregivers or from ourselves (e.g., connected to the thought of our death), the suffering that we experience observing other people's pain, the pain of change and the existential pain connected to the temporal dimension of the mind. Finally, after a discussion of how the mind is able to not only create but also alleviate the pain, through mechanisms such as the expectation of the treatment and the hope of healing, we conclude by discussing neuropsychological research data and the attitude promoted by mindfulness meditation in relation to the pain. An attitude in which, instead to avoid and reject the pain, one learns to face mindfully the experience of pain.

Integrating Neuropsychology and Brain Imaging for a Referral of Possible Pseudodementia: A Case Report.

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Tanner, J J; Mellott, E; Dunne, E M; Price, C C

2015-01-01

The study aimed to highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the value for combining normative neuropsychological and neuroradiological measures for clinical purposes. We present the case of "CL," a 65-year-old, right-handed, Caucasian female referred for a neuropsychological evaluation of memory difficulties and depression with the rule-out of pseudodementia. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was conducted within 24 hours of the neuropsychology exam. Mood measures showed elevated depression and apathy symptoms. The neuropsychological profile showed variable effort, intact comprehension but compromised confrontation naming and verbal memory deficits. Using normative references from 20 female age- and education-matched healthy control peers, CL showed significantly reduced temporal cortex thickness with reduced bilateral hippocampal, right amygdala, and right caudate volumes. Combined data were supportive of a diagnosis of semantic dementia. Examining neuropsychological profiles in combination with neuroimaging standardized metrics relative to peers improved case conceptualization. Standard measures of effort and malingering examined alone and without MRI for the diagnosis of pseudodementia have questionable validity and rationale. We additionally discuss the advantages and limitations/challenges for integrating neuropsychological assessments with normative based MRI brain metrics.

Trends on the application of serious games to neuropsychological evaluation: A scoping review.

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Valladares-Rodríguez, Sonia; Pérez-Rodríguez, Roberto; Anido-Rifón, Luis; Fernández-Iglesias, Manuel

2016-12-01

The dramatic technological advances witnessed in recent years have resulted in a great opportunity for changing the way neuropsychological evaluations may be performed in clinical practice. Particularly, serious games have been posed as the cornerstone of this still incipient paradigm-shift, as they have characteristics that make them especially advantageous in trying to overcome limitations associated with traditional pen-and-paper based neuropsychological tests: they can be easily administered and they can feature complex environments for the evaluation of neuropsychological constructs that are difficult to evaluate through traditional tests. The objective of this study was to conduct a scoping literature review in order to map rapidly the key concepts underpinning this research area during the last 25years on the use of serious games for neuropsychological evaluation. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus and IEEE Xplore databases were systematically searched. The main eligibility criteria were to select studies published in a peer-reviewed journal; written in English; published in the last 25years; focused on the human population, and classified in the neuropsychological field. Moreover, to avoid risk of bias, studies were selected by consensus of experts, focusing primarily in psychometric properties. Therefore, selected studies were analyzed in accordance with a set of dimensions of analysis commonly used for evaluating neuropsychological tests. After applying the selected search strategy, 57 studies -including 54 serious games- met our selection criteria. The selected studies deal with visuospatial capabilities, memory, attention, executive functions, and complex neuropsychological constructs such as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Results show that the implementation of serious games for neuropsychological evaluation is tackled in several different ways in the selected studies, and that studies have so far been mainly exploratory, just aiming at testing the

FORENSIC-CLINICAL INTERVIEW: RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY FOR THE EVALUATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURY

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Francisca Fariña

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Forensic evaluation of psychological injury involves the use of a multimethod approximation i.e., a psychometric instrument, normally the MMPI-2, and a clinical interview. In terms of the clinical interview, the traditional clinical interview (e.g., SCID is not valid for forensic settings as it does not fulfil the triple objective of forensic evaluation: diagnosis of psychological injury in terms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD, a differential diagnosis of feigning, and establishing a causal relationship between allegations of intimate partner violence (IPV and psychological injury. To meet this requirement, Arce and Fariña (2001 created the forensic-clinical interview based on two techniques that do not contaminate the contents i.e., reinstating the contexts and free recall, and a methodic categorical system of contents analysis for the diagnosis of psychological injury and a differential diagnosis of feigning. The reliability and validity of the forensic-clinical interview designed for the forensic evaluation of psychological injury was assessed in 51 genuine cases of (IPV and 54 mock victims of IPV who were evaluated using a forensic-clinical interview and the MMPI-2. The result revealed that the forensic-clinical interview was a reliable instrument (α = .85 for diagnostic criteria of psychological injury, and α = .744 for feigning strategies. Moreover, the results corroborated the predictive validity (the diagnosis of PTSD was similar to the expected rate; the convergence validity (the diagnosis of PTSD in the interview strongly correlated with the Pk Scale of the MMPI-2, and discriminant validity (the diagnosis of PTSD in the interview did not correlate with the Pk Scale in feigners. The feigning strategies (differential diagnosis also showed convergent validity (high correlation with the Scales and indices of the MMPI2 for the measure of feigning and discriminant validity (no genuine victim was classified as a feigner

Resection of Gliomas with and without Neuropsychological Support during Awake Craniotomy—Effects on Surgery and Clinical Outcome

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Anna Kelm

2017-08-01

Full Text Available BackgroundDuring awake craniotomy for tumor resection, a neuropsychologist (NP is regarded as a highly valuable partner for neurosurgeons. However, some centers do not routinely involve an NP, and data to support the high influence of the NP on the perioperative course of patients are mostly lacking.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a difference in clinical outcomes between patients who underwent awake craniotomy with and without the attendance of an NP.MethodsOur analysis included 61 patients, all operated on for resection of a presumably language-eloquent glioma during an awake procedure. Of these 61 cases, 47 surgeries were done with neuropsychological support (NP group, whereas 14 surgeries were performed without an NP (non-NP group due to a language barrier between the NP and the patient. For these patients, neuropsychological assessment was provided by a bilingual resident.ResultsBoth groups were highly comparable regarding age, gender, preoperative language function, and tumor grades (glioma WHO grades 1–4. Gross total resection (GTR was achieved more frequently in the NP group (NP vs. non-NP: 61.7 vs. 28.6%, P = 0.04, which also had shorter durations of surgery (NP vs. non-NP: 240.7 ± 45.7 vs. 286.6 ± 54.8 min, P < 0.01. Furthermore, the rate of unexpected tumor residuals (estimation of the intraoperative extent of resection vs. postoperative imaging was lower in the NP group (NP vs. non-NP: 19.1 vs. 42.9%, P = 0.09, but no difference was observed in terms of permanent surgery-related language deterioration (NP vs. non-NP: 6.4 vs. 14.3%, P = 0.48.ConclusionWe need professional neuropsychological evaluation during awake craniotomies for removal of presumably language-eloquent gliomas. Although these procedures are routinely carried out with an NP, this is one of the first studies to provide data supporting the NP’s crucial role. Despite the small group size, our study shows

Mild cognitive impairment and prospective memory: translating the evidence into neuropsychological practice.

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Kinsella, Glynda J; Pike, Kerryn E; Cavuoto, Marina G; Lee, Stephen D

2018-04-30

There has been a recent rapid development of research characterizing prospective memory performance in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older age. However, this body of literature remains largely separated from routine clinical practice in neuropsychology. Furthermore, there is emerging evidence of effective interventions to improve prospective memory performance. Therefore, our objective in this article was to offer a clinical neuropsychological perspective on the existing research in order to facilitate the translation of the evidence-base into clinical practice. By conducting a critical review of the existing research related to prospective memory and MCI, we highlight how this data can be introduced into clinical practice, either within diagnostic assessment or clinical management. Prospective memory is impaired in older adults with MCI, with a pattern of performance that helps with differential diagnosis from healthy aging. Clinical neuropsychologists are encouraged to add prospective memory assessment to their toolbox for diagnostic evaluation of clients with MCI. Preliminary findings of prospective memory interventions in MCI are promising, but more work is required to determine how different approaches translate to increasing independence in everyday life.

Ethical considerations in geriatric neuropsychology.

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Martin, Thomas A; Bush, Shane S

2008-01-01

The practice of geriatric neuropsychology demands specialized training and experience that enables the practitioner to appreciate the unique challenges and opportunities that are encountered when working with older adults. In addition to maintaining advanced knowledge regarding medical and psychological conditions, assessment issues, and treatment needs specific to older persons, clinicians working with older adults must be prepared to recognize and confront ethical dilemmas that arise. For example, ethical challenges related to professional competence, informed consent, assessment, and privacy and confidentiality may be prominent when working with older persons. Maintaining an emphasis on "positive ethics" and utilizing an ethical decision-making model will promote the practitioner's ability to avoid, identify, and resolve ethical challenges. The present article reviews (1) the concept of positive ethics, (2) a comprehensive ethical decision-making model, and (3) ethical issues that are commonly encountered by geriatric neuropsychologists. A case vignette is presented to illustrate the application of the aforementioned tools to promote ethical practice.

[Pinocchio and the unattained identity: Jervis' contribution to child clinical psychology].

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Meacci, Stefano

2012-01-01

Giovanni Jervis is mainly known as a psychiatrist, but he also worked on psychological methodology and tackled important issues in clinical psychology. This essay describes the concept of personal identity elaborated by Jervis and its importance in Child Clinical Psychology. The problems related to personal identity appear very early in Jervis' work, influenced by the ethnologist Ernesto De Martino. His first considerations are found in his Preface to The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (1968), in which Jervis describes the unhappy upbringing, the anti-social behaviour, and the unattained identity of the wooden puppet. Subsequently, in Presenza e identith (1984), Fondamenti di Psicologia Dinamica (1993) and La conquista dell'identith (1997), Jervis dealt with the theme of identity from a Dynamic Psychology perspective, showing that the formation of personal identity is a basic aspect of the development of the individual that starts in early childhood.

Clinical and Neuropsychological Characteristics of a Nationwide Hospital-Based Registry of Frontotemporal Dementia Patients in Korea: A CREDOS-FTD Study

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Eun-Joo Kim

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background: We investigated the demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological characteristics of frontotemporal dementia (FTD from the Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea (CREDOS-FTD registry. Methods: A total of 200 consecutive patients with FTD recruited from 16 neurological clinics in Korea were evaluated by cognitive and functional assessments, a screening test for aphasia, behavioral questionnaires, motor assessments, and brain MRI or PET. Results: In our registry, 78 patients were classified as having been diagnosed with behavioral-variant FTD (bvFTD, 70 with semantic dementia (SD, 33 with progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA, and 8 with motor neuron disease plus syndrome (MND-plus. The patients with language variants of dementia were older than those with bvFTD. There were no differences in sex ratio, duration of illness, or level of education among the four subgroups. Overall, the patients with bvFTD showed a significantly better performance in cognitive tests. A higher frequency of motor symptoms and a lower frequency of behavioral symptoms were found in PNFA than in bvFTD and SD. The Global Language Index was significantly lower in SD than in bvFTD and PNFA. The MND-plus group had a poorer performance than all the others in all cognitive domains. Conclusion: The neuropsychological, behavioral, motor, and language characteristics of the four subtypes are comparable with those from other series. However, the proportion of SD (37.0%, which was similar to that of bvFTD (41.3%, was higher in our registry than in other series.

Beyond the numbers: expanding the boundaries of neuropsychology.

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Perry, William

2009-02-01

Beyond the Numbers: Expanding the Boundaries of Neuropsychology was Dr Perry's 2007 presidential address in the annual conference of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. In his address he discussed the achievements of the science of neuropsychology and highlighted some areas that exemplified the expansion of the boundaries of neuropsychology. These areas are: (i) the study of neuropsychological functioning in new or non-traditional populations, particularly seemingly healthy people and people with non-brain diseases; (ii) the interface of cognition and genetics; (iii) the use of the process approach as a means of understanding brain functioning; and (iv) a translational application to the science of neuropsychology.

The impact of culture and education on non-verbal neuropsychological measurements: a critical review.

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Rosselli, Mónica; Ardila, Alfredo

2003-08-01

Clinical neuropsychology has frequently considered visuospatial and non-verbal tests to be culturally and educationally fair or at least fairer than verbal tests. This paper reviews the cross-cultural differences in performance on visuoperceptual and visuoconstructional ability tasks and analyzes the impact of education and culture on non-verbal neuropsychological measurements. This paper compares: (1) non-verbal test performance among groups with different educational levels, and the same cultural background (inter-education intra-culture comparison); (2) the test performance among groups with the same educational level and different cultural backgrounds (intra-education inter-culture comparisons). Several studies have demonstrated a strong association between educational level and performance on common non-verbal neuropsychological tests. When neuropsychological test performance in different cultural groups is compared, significant differences are evident. Performance on non-verbal tests such as copying figures, drawing maps or listening to tones can be significantly influenced by the individual's culture. Arguments against the use of some current neuropsychological non-verbal instruments, procedures, and norms in the assessment of diverse educational and cultural groups are discussed and possible solutions to this problem are presented.

Mild cognitive impairment: a concept and diagnostic entity in need of input from neuropsychology.

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Bondi, Mark W; Smith, Glenn E

2014-02-01

This virtual issue consists of studies previously published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society and selected on the basis of their content related to one of the most highly researched concepts in behavioral neurology and neuropsychology over the past decade: mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The reliance on cognitive screening measures, staging-based rating scales, and limited neuropsychological testing in diagnosing MCI across most research studies may miss individuals with subtle cognitive declines or mis-diagnose MCI in those who are otherwise cognitively normal on a broader neuropsychological battery of tests. The assembled articles highlight the perils of relying on these conventional criteria for MCI diagnosis and reveal how the reliability of diagnosis is improved when sound neuropsychological approaches are adopted. When these requirements are met, we illustrate with a second series of articles that neuropsychological measures associate strongly with biomarkers and often reflect pathology beyond or instead of typical AD distributions. The final set of articles reveal that people with MCI demonstrate mild but identifiable functional difficulties, and a challenge for neuropsychology is how to incorporate this information to better define MCI and distinguish it from early dementia. Neuropsychology is uniquely positioned to improve upon the state of the science in MCI research and practice by providing critically important empirical information on the specific cognitive domains affected by the predominant neurodegenerative disorders of late life as well as on the diagnostic decision-making strategies used in studies. When such efforts to more comprehensively assess neuropsychological functions are undertaken, better characterizations of spared and impaired cognitive and functional abilities result and lead to more convincing associations with other biomarkers as well as to prediction of clinical outcomes.

The stakeholders' project in neuropsychological report writing: a survey of neuropsychologists' and referral sources' views of neuropsychological reports.

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Postal, Karen; Chow, Clifton; Jung, Sharon; Erickson-Moreo, Kalen; Geier, Flannery; Lanca, Margaret

2018-04-01

Though some neuropsychological groups have proposed criteria and suggestions for clinical report writing there has never been professional consensus or accepted published guidelines on how to write reports. Given the paucity of guidelines and the evolving practice climate, we sought to survey neuropsychologists and referral source stakeholders to understand current report writing practices. The data were collected in two SurveyMonkey surveys via professional list servs, email, and LinkedIn clinical interest groups. Results of the survey indicate many neuropsychologists spend multiple hours writing reports that they believe will not be read completely by stakeholders. A striking 73% of referral sources reported slow turnaround time of neuropsychological reports negatively affected their patient care. Referral sources reported they value the diagnosis/impression and recommendations sections the most; in contrast, they did not find the history, behavioral observations, emotional functioning, or descriptions of cognitive domains sections as useful. The survey findings highlight the disjuncture between what neuropsychologists typically do in their practice of report writing versus what they believe is useful for patients and referral sources. The survey also highlights differences between writing practices of neuropsychologists and what referral sources identify as the most valuable aspects of reports to assist them in caring for their patients.

Emotional health: on the applicability of affective science to the integration of clinical psychology

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Ewa Trzebińska

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to outline the concept of emotional health and its integrative potential in the field of clinical psychology. It is a well-known fact that the transdiagnostic approach and psychotherapy integration – the two most influential integrative movements in clinical psychology – search for a sound conceptual foundation of the efforts to organize a plethora of theories and data relating to the psychological aspects of physical and mental health. Following a short presentation of general discrepancies afflicting clinical psychology and the main ideas of both the transdiagnostic approach and psychotherapy integration, the notion of emotional health is introduced and its unifying convenience, as well as limitations, is discussed.

No sex differences in neuropsychological performance in first episode psychosis patients.

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Ayesa-Arriola, Rosa; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Jose Manuel; Gomez-Ruiz, Elsa; Roiz-Santiáñez, Roberto; Reeves, Lauren L; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto

2014-01-03

The purpose of this study was to verify whether male patients with psychosis have greater neurocognitive impairment than female patients at illness onset. Participants with a first episode of psychosis (74 women/86 men) and healthy controls (62 women/97 men) were assessed with an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Women in the clinical group were older at illness onset and had achieved higher formal education than men. This trend was the same for the control group. The patient group presented with lower premorbid IQ compared to healthy controls, and performed below for most neuropsychological tests. Women scored higher than men on a test of verbal memory, whereas men scored higher than women on a test of reaction time, visual memory, and a planning task. There were no group-by-sex interactions for any of the neuropsychological tests. The present study shows that at the onset of psychosis there are no differences between males and females in neuropsychological performance. The differential pattern of cognitive performance observed is similar to that in healthy males and females. Furthermore, females with a late onset of psychosis may represent a subgroup with specific visuospatial and problem solving impairments. © 2013.

Maladaptive Personality and Neuropsychological Features of Highly Relationally Aggressive Adolescent Girls

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Michael Savage

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The maladaptive personality and neuropsychological features of highly relationally aggressive females were examined in a group of 30 grade 6, 7, and 8 girls and group-matched controls. Employing a multistage cluster sampling procedure a group of highly, yet almost exclusively, relationally aggressive females were identified and matched on a number of variables to a group of nonaggressive females. Parents of the students in both groups completed the Coolidge Personality and Neuropsychological Inventory, a 200-item DSM-IV-TR aligned, parent-as-respondent, standardized measure of children’s psychological functioning. It was found that high levels of relational aggression, in the absence of physical and verbal aggression, were associated with symptoms of DSM-IV-TR Axis I oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. The highly relationally aggressive group also exhibited a wide variety of personality traits associated with DSM-IV-TR Axis II paranoid, borderline, narcissistic, histrionic, schizotypal, and passive aggressive personality disorders that were not exhibited by the matched controls. Implications of these findings are discussed.

The Neuropsychology of Risky Sexual Behavior.

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Ross, J Megan; Duperrouzel, Jacqueline; Vega, Melanie; Gonzalez, Raul

2016-07-01

Engagement in risky sexual behavior (RSB) is a significant public health concern. A growing body of literature is elucidating the role of brain systems and neuropsychological constructs implicated in RSB, which may pave the way for novel insights and prevention efforts. In this article, we review studies incorporating neuropsychology into the study of RSB across the lifespan. The review of the literature on the neuropsychology of RSB is separated into three different sections by age of participants. Background is presented on research associating RSB with neurocognitive processes and the brain systems involved. Given the overlap between RSBs and substance use, studies addressing these problems in tandem are also discussed. Neurocognitive constructs are implicated in RSB, including impulsivity, decision-making, and working memory. Thus far, evidence suggest that neuropsychological factors are associated with engagement in RSB. More research on the influence of neuropsychological factors on engagement in RSB is necessary and may help inform future prevention efforts. (JINS, 2016, 22, 586-594).

Neuropsychology of the Prodrome to Psychosis in the NAPLS Consortium: Relationship to Family History and Conversion to Psychosis

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Seidman, Larry J.; Giuliano, Anthony J.; Meyer, Eric C.; Addington, Jean; Cadenhead, Kristin S.; Cannon, Tyrone D.; McGlashan, Thomas H.; Perkins, Diana O.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Walker, Elaine F.; Woods, Scott W.; Bearden, Carrie E.; Christensen, Bruce K.; Hawkins, Keith; Heaton, Robert; Keefe, Richard S. E.; Heinssen, Robert; Cornblatt, Barbara A.

2011-01-01

Context Early detection and prospective evaluation of clinical high-risk (CHR) individuals who may develop schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders is critical for predicting psychosis onset and for testing preventive interventions. Objective To elucidate the neuropsychology of the CHR syndrome, to determine the association of neuropsychological function with conversion to psychosis and family history (FH) of psychosis, and to examine whether baseline neuropsychological functioning predicts subsequent psychosis. Design, Setting, and Participants Longitudinal study with 2 1/2 years follow-up of 304 prospectively identified CHR individuals meeting Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) criteria, 52 non-CHR persons with a FH of psychosis in first- or second-degree relatives (“family HR”/FHR), and 193 normal controls with neither a FH of psychosis nor a CHR syndrome, all of whom had baseline neuropsychological evaluations, recruited across eight centers as part of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS). Main Measures A neurocognitive composite score, eight individual neuropsychological measures, an IQ estimate, and HR status. Results Global (“composite”) neuropsychological functioning was comparably impaired in CHR and FHR groups compared to controls, but profiles differed significantly between groups. Neuropsychological functioning in the CHR group was significantly lower in persons who progressed to psychosis than in those who did not, and worst in the subgroup with a FH of psychosis. Tests of processing speed and verbal learning and memory were most sensitive in discriminating CHR from controls, although reductions were less severe than in established schizophrenia. Neuropsychological functioning did not contribute uniquely to the prediction of psychosis beyond clinical criteria, but worse verbal memory predicted more rapid conversion. Conclusion These findings document that CHR individuals have significant neuropsychological

Modeling the relations of ethical leadership and clinical governance with psychological empowerment in nurses

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Goona Fathi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Ethical leadership appeared as a new approach in the leadership perspective and provided the ground for promoting individual and organizational efficiency by giving priorities to ethics in organizations. In this regard, the present study was conducted with the aim of modeling the relations of ethical leadership and clinical governance with psychological empowerment among nurses of public hospitals in Kermanshah in 2014. Methods: the research method was descriptive survey. The study sample consisted of all nurses (n=550 working in public hospitals of Kermanshah University of Medical Science for whom 163 nurses were selected using simple random sampling. The tools for data collection were ethical leadership, clinical governance and psychology empowerment questionnaires whose validity and reliability were confirmed. The structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed a significant relationship between ethical leadership and clinical governance (P<0.01 and psychological empowerment (P<0.01. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between clinical governance and psychological empowerment (P<0.05. Based on the results of the research, ethical leadership directly and through clinical governance affected the nurses’ psychological empowerment (P<0.05. Conclusion: reliance on ethics and ethical leadership in hospitals, in addition to providing the space and ground for improving the effectiveness of clinical governance approach, can promote the feeling of psychological empowerment in nurses. Accordingly, the ethical issues are required to be taken into consideration in hospitals.

Neuropsychological and psychopathological differentiation of delirium

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Gabriel, Alexander

2010-01-01

ICD-10 and DSM-IV differ in their definitions of delirium. The DSM-IV definition centers around a disorder of attention and cognitive functions, whereas ICD-10 describes delirium as a broader neuropsychological and psychopathological syndrome, e.g. hallucinations, emotional and psychomotor disorder. When neuropsychological and psychopathological symptoms of delirium are assessed simultaneously, our question was, if there are core symptoms of delirium, i.e. neuropsychological and psychopat...

Implementation of psychological clinical trials in epilepsy: Review and guide.

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Modi, Avani C; Wagner, Janelle; Smith, Aimee W; Kellermann, Tanja S; Michaelis, Rosa

2017-09-01

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Neuropsychiatry commission and United States Institute of Medicine report both identified cognitive and psychological comorbidities as a significant issue for individuals with epilepsy, with rates as high as 60%. However, there is a paucity of evidence-based treatments for many psychological conditions (e.g., learning disorders, cognitive disorders, behavioral disorders). Because of inherent challenges in the implementation of psychological therapy trials and specific considerations for the population with epilepsy, the focus of the current review was to provide guidance and recommendations to conduct psychological trials for individuals with epilepsy. Several key areas will be discussed, including selection of patients, trial design, psychological intervention considerations, outcomes and evaluation of results, publication of trial results, and special issues related to pediatric clinical trials. Rigorously designed psychological therapy trials will set the stage for evidence-based practice in the care of individuals with epilepsy, with the goal of improving seizures, side effects, and HRQOL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Mindful neuropsychology: Mindfulness-based cognitive remediation].

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Bulzacka, E; Lavault, S; Pelissolo, A; Bagnis Isnard, C

2018-02-01

Mindfulness based interventions (MBI) have recently gained much interest in western medicine. MBSR paradigm is based on teaching participants to pay complete attention to the present experience and act nonjudgmentally towards stressful events. During this mental practice the meditator focuses his or her attention on the sensations of the body. While the distractions (mental images, thoughts, emotional or somatic states) arise the participant is taught to acknowledge discursive thoughts and cultivate the state of awareness without immediate reaction. The effectiveness of these programs is well documented in the field of emotional response regulation in depression (relapse prevention), anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder or eating disorders. Furthermore, converging lines of evidence support the hypothesis that mindfulness practice improves cognition, especially the ability to sustain attention and think in a more flexible manner. Nevertheless, formal rehabilitation programs targeting cognitive disturbances resulting from psychiatric (depression, disorder bipolar, schizophrenia) or neurologic conditions (brain injury, dementia) seldom rely on MBI principles. This review of literature aims at discussing possible links between MBI and clinical neuropsychology. We conducted a review of literature using electronic databases up to December 2016, screening studies with variants of the keywords ("Mindfulness", "MBI", "MBSR", "Meditation") OR/AND ("Cognition", "Attention", "Executive function", "Memory", "Learning") RESULTS: In the first part, we describe key concepts of the neuropsychology of attention in the light of Posner's model of attention control. We also underline the potential scope of different therapeutic contexts where disturbances of attention may be clinically relevant. Second, we review the efficacy of MBI in the field of cognition (thinking disturbances, attention biases, memory and executive processes impairment or low metacognitive abilities

A Computerized Clinical Support System and Psychological Laboratory.

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Cassel, Russell N.

1978-01-01

Advocating "holistic" medicine, this article details the benefits to be derived from using a computerized clinical support system in a psychological laboratory focusing on internal healing where the client/patient becomes a committed partner utilizing biofeedback equipment, gaming, and simulation to achieve self-understanding and…

Review of the book: Neuropsychology of infantile abandonment and mistreatment

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Alfonso Barca

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Review of: Fernández, R.M. (Coord. (2014. Neuropsychology of infantile abandonment and mistreatment. Barcelona: Hilo Rojo. 207 pp. ISBN: 978-84-941620-7-7. Depósito legal: B 4535-2014. This book deals with an important current topic: the mistreatment and/or abandonment of children who have been adopeted, mostly from abroad. There are 14 chapters and 15 authors.  The central problem revolves around childhood abuse and the authors have focused on a neuro-bio-psychological explanation to understand what happens in the brain of a child who is abused, and, most importantly, their behavior during and after physical or psychological abuse or mistreatment.  Toward the end of the book the main measures that should be taken in this kind of situation are presented.  Generally, the authors cover the essence of the topics brought up and the presentation is always done with extreme scientific rigor and terminological and conceptual precision.

A diagnostic model incorporating P50 sensory gating and neuropsychological tests for schizophrenia.

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Jia-Chi Shan

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Endophenotypes in schizophrenia research is a contemporary approach to studying this heterogeneous mental illness, and several candidate neurophysiological markers (e.g. P50 sensory gating and neuropsychological tests (e.g. Continuous Performance Test (CPT and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST have been proposed. However, the clinical utility of a single marker appears to be limited. In the present study, we aimed to construct a diagnostic model incorporating P50 sensory gating with other neuropsychological tests in order to improve the clinical utility. METHODS: We recruited clinically stable outpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria of schizophrenia and age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Participants underwent P50 sensory gating experimental sessions and batteries of neuropsychological tests, including CPT, WCST and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Third Edition (WAIS-III. RESULTS: A total of 106 schizophrenia patients and 74 healthy controls were enrolled. Compared with healthy controls, the patient group had significantly a larger S2 amplitude, and thus poorer P50 gating ratio (gating ratio = S2/S1. In addition, schizophrenia patients had a poorer performance on neuropsychological tests. We then developed a diagnostic model by using multivariable logistic regression analysis to differentiate patients from healthy controls. The final model included the following covariates: abnormal P50 gating (defined as P50 gating ratio >0.4, three subscales derived from the WAIS-III (Arithmetic, Block Design, and Performance IQ, sensitivity index from CPT and smoking status. This model had an adequate accuracy (concordant percentage = 90.4%; c-statistic = 0.904; Hosmer-Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit Test, p = 0.64>0.05. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study to date using P50 sensory gating in subjects of Chinese ethnicity and the first to use P50 sensory gating along with other neuropsychological tests

The Marin Lab at the Dawn of Cognitive Neuropsychology.

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Schwartz, Myrna F

2015-09-01

This essay discusses the intellectual developments in psychology, linguistics, and behavioral neurology that shaped Oscar Marin's approach to disorders of high cortical function. As Chief of Neurology at Baltimore City Hospitals in the 1970s, Dr Marin teamed with biopsychologist Eleanor Saffran and the author in seminal studies of acquired language disorders (aphasia) centering on core processes of syntax and semantics, and rejecting premature reductionism. The philosophical and methodological principles that motivated these studies are traced through the author's personal recollections and the published writings of the Marin lab. These principles came to be associated with the cognitive neuropsychology school of research and have important linkages to contemporary work in the neuroscience of aphasia and related cognitive disorders.

Clinical review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groth, Kristian; Skakkebæk, Anne; Høst, Christian

2013-01-01

Recently, new clinically important information regarding Klinefelter syndrome (KS) has been published. We review aspects of epidemiology, endocrinology, metabolism, body composition, and neuropsychology with reference to recent genetic discoveries.......Recently, new clinically important information regarding Klinefelter syndrome (KS) has been published. We review aspects of epidemiology, endocrinology, metabolism, body composition, and neuropsychology with reference to recent genetic discoveries....

Psychological underpinning of personalized approaches in modern medicine: syndrome analysis of mitral valve prolapsed patients

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Zinchenko, Yury P.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The article aims to demonstrate a high efficiency of the methodological means suggested by psychological syndrome analysis approach (Vygotsky-Luria school for solving theoretical and applied issues in contemporary person-centered medicine. This is achieved through an example of empirical study meant to construct a psychosomatic syndrome for 290 patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP. Analysis of all collected data was based on psychological syndrome analysis concept (Vygotsky–Luria school and A.R. Luria’s principles for psychological factors (causes selection, which determine the logic and structure of a neuropsychological syndrome. It demonstrated the association between characteristics of emotional experiences and clinical symptoms manifested in MVP patients. This correlation was statistically verified. The results proved that the most important syndrome-establishment factor (radical is a specific emotionality and dysfunction of emotion regulation and emotional control in MVP patients (excessive emotional repression with insufficient reflection of emotional experiences. Features of the motivation sphere of MVP patients appear as a second psychological syndrome-establishment factor: these are domination of the motive of failure avoidance and unsatisfied self-approval need. We argue that psychological syndrome analysis can be used as a means to approach not only diagnostic but also prognostic tasks both in clinical psychology and medicine, as well as for the development and implementation of the person-centered integrative diagnosis model. We maintained that this approach, applied in theoretical and practical fields of clinical psychology and mental health care is highly efficient at the current stage of the science evolution due to prospects revealed by s new methodological context of postnonclassical model of rationality and a comprehensive character of the cultural-historical concept regarding an individual and his mind as a self

Evidence-Based Indicators of Neuropsychological Change in the Individual Patient: Relevant Concepts and Methods

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Duff, Kevin

2012-01-01

Repeated assessments are a relatively common occurrence in clinical neuropsychology. The current paper will review some of the relevant concepts (e.g., reliability, practice effects, alternate forms) and methods (e.g., reliable change index, standardized based regression) that are used in repeated neuropsychological evaluations. The focus will be on the understanding and application of these concepts and methods in the evaluation of the individual patient through examples. Finally, some future directions for assessing change will be described. PMID:22382384

Stress and Cognitive Reserve as independent factors of neuropsychological performance in healthy elderly

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João Carlos Centurion Cabral

Full Text Available Abstract Exposure to high levels of cortisol and self-reported stress, as well as cognitive reserve, have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease pathology. However, there are no studies on the interaction of these variables. The present study aims to assess the associations of measures of cortisol, self-reported stress, and cognitive reserve with neuropsychological performance in healthy elderly people; besides, to test the interactions between these variables. Cross-sectional analyzes were conducted using data on stress, cognitive reserve and clinical conditions in 145 healthy elderly adults. A neuropsychological battery was used to assess executive functions, verbal memory and processing speed. Measurement of salivary cortisol at the circadian nadir was taken. A negative association between different stress measures and performance on tasks of memory, executive functions and processing speed was observed. Elderly people with higher cognitive reserve showed superior performance on all neuropsychological measures. No significant interaction between stress and cognitive reserve to neuropsychological performance was observed. These results indicate that older adults with high levels of stress and reduced cognitive reserve may be more susceptible to cognitive impairment.

Neuropsychological profile of a Filipino gentleman with X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism: a case report of Lubag disease.

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Howe, Laura L S; Kellison, Ida L; Fernandez, Hubert H; Okun, Michael S; Bowers, Dawn

2009-01-01

X-Linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP or "Lubag") is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder unique to the Island of Panay in the Philippines. Imaging and autopsy studies have suggested involvement of the caudate and putamen in late stages. Because the clinical presentation of patients with XDP resembles that of patients with Parkinson disease or dystonia, it is reasonable to predict the neuropsychological profile might be similar; however, the neuropsychological profile of a XDP patient has not previously been published. We present the neuropsychological findings of a 67-year-old gentleman with a 10-year history of XDP who presented with parkinsonian and dystonic symptoms. He was evaluated for suitability for deep brain stimulation surgery. Neuropsychological findings demonstrated diffuse impairment involving memory, visuospatial, language, and executive functioning.

A neuropsychological approach to the study of gesture and pantomime in aphasa

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Jocelyn Kadish

1978-11-01

Full Text Available The impairment of  gesture and pantomime in aphasia was examined from  a neuropsychological perspective. The Boston Diagnostic Test of  Aphasia, Luria's Neuro-psychological Investigation, Pickett's Tests for  gesture and pantomime and the Performance Scale of  the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale were administered to six aphasic subjects with varying etiology and severity. Results indicated that severity of  aphasia was positively related to severity of  gestural disturbance; gestural ability was associated with verbal and non-linguistic aspects of  ability, within receptive and expressive levels respectively; performance  on gestural tasks was superior to that on verbal tasks irrespective of  severity of aphasia; damage to Luria's second and third functional  brain units were positively related to deficits  in receptive and expressive gesture respectively; no relationship was found  between seventy of  general intellectual impairment and gestural deficit.  It was concluded that the gestural impairment may best be understood as a breakdown in complex sequential manual motor activity. Theoretical and therapeutic implications were discussed.

Family therapy training on a clinical psychology programme

OpenAIRE

Carr, Alan

2007-01-01

The report describes the intake interviewing exercise in a family therapy training unit developed for postgraduates in clinical psychology. The teaching method includes pre-class reading, video modelling, and simulated practice with live feedback. The academic material and other similar practice exercises are contained in the core textbook for this unit.

[Clinical and psychopathological profile of women victims of psychological partner violence].

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Lamy, C; Dubois, F; Jaafari, N; Carl, T; Gaillard, P; Camus, V; El Hage, W

2009-08-01

Partner violence is a serious public health problem, due to their potential short-, medium- or long-term physical and psychological consequences. Violence is unbearable when it occurs between family members, and often remains unrevealed, invisible, hidden and repeated. The woman possibly feels trapped in a relationship of imprisonment. International studies have well-explored the psychopathological aspects of physical and sexual abuse within couples, but few explored the clinical profile of women victims of psychological violence or moral harassment. This study aims to define the clinical and psychopathological profile of women who are victims of psychological intimate partner violence. We contacted 628 women who consulted consecutively at the emergency ward of a university hospital covering a 300,000 catchment area. The telephone screening of psychological violence was therefore carried out using the Women's Experience with Battering (WEB) questionnaire (N=226). An optional clinical interview was given to the women declaring themselves as victims of psychological intimate partner violence (N=56) to evaluate the life events and the psychiatric disorders according to the DSM-IV. Finally, 43 participants (77%) gave their opinion on the qualitative aspects of the WEB questionnaire and their level of ease with this report. In 63% (N=35) of the cases, the victims and their partners had a rather high socioprofessional level. Women refer to emergency ward mostly for complaint of vague idiopathic pain (49%) or for psychiatric disorders (52%) with predominance of anxiety (28%) or addictive disorders (19%). The prevalence of potentially traumatic life events was found to be high in this group (83%). The traumatic psychological intimate partner violence was associated with a heightened prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, like anxiety (72%), depression (100%), posttraumatic stress disorder (100%), and addiction to alcohol (100%) or another psychoactive substance (50

Neuropsychological significance of areas of high signal intensity on brain MRIs of children with neurofibromatosis.

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Moore, B D; Slopis, J M; Schomer, D; Jackson, E F; Levy, B M

1996-06-01

Of children with neurofibromatosis (NF), 40% have a cognitive or learning impairment. Approximately 60% also have anomalous areas of high signal intensity on T2-weighted brain MRIs. The association of these hyperintensities and neuropsychological status is not fully understood. We administered a battery of neuropsychological tests and a standard clinical MRI to determine the impact of hyperintensity presence, number, and location on cognitive status in 84 children (8 to 16 years) with NF type 1. These children underwent standard clinical MRI using a GE 1.5-tesla scanner (except one child who was examined with a 1.0-tesla scanner). We conducted three types of analyses: Hyperintensity presence or absence.-Scores of children with (55%) and without hyperintensities (45%) were compared using t tests. No statistically significant differences between groups in intellectual functioning or any neuropsychological variable were found. Number of hyperintensities-The number of hyperintensity locations per child ranged from one to five (mean = 2.22). Pearson correlations revealed no significant association between the number of hyperintensities and neuropsychological performance. Location of hyperintensities-In four of the five locations studied, no statistically significant differences were found between scores of children with a hyperintensity in an area and those with one elsewhere. However, mean scores for IQ, Memory, Motor, Distractibility, and Attention domains for children with hyperintensities in the thalamus were significantly lower than scores for those with hyperintensities elsewhere. These results suggest that the simple presence or absence of hyperintensities, or their total number, is not as important as their anatomic location for detecting their relationship with neuropsychological status. Taking location into account, hyperintensities in the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, brainstem, or cerebellum seem to have no impact on neuropsychological functioning

Neuropsychology of Illiteracy

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M. Rosselli

1993-01-01

Full Text Available It is proposed that analysis of illiteracy can not only discern the influence of schooling background on neuropsychological test performance, but also contributes to obtaining a better understanding about the cerebral organization of cognitive activity. Brain organization of cognition, and cognitive sequelae of brain pathology in illiterates are reviewed. It is concluded that: (1 cognitive abilities, as measured by standard neuropsychological tests, are significantly influenced by schooling background; and (2 educational and cultural variables may affect the degree (albeit, not the direction of hemispheric dominance for language, and other cognitive abilities. A more bilateral representation of cognitive abilities in illiterates is hypothesized.

Neuropsychological study in patients with ALL. Two different CNS prevention therapies--cranial irradiation plus IT methotrexate vs. IT methotrexate alone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavlovsky, S.; Fisman, N.; Arizaga, R.; Castano, J.; Chamoles, N.; Leiguarda, R.; Moreno, R.

1983-01-01

Neurological, psychopedagogic, and psychologic long-term sequelae were evaluated in two groups of ALL patients in continuous CR for more than 2 years treated with two different CNS prophylaxis schemes. Group A, 19 patients received cranial irradiation 2400 rads plus IT MTX-DMT, and group B, 23 patients IT MTX-DMT only during induction and maintenance. All the patients were evaluated by performing neurological examination, EEG, EMG with nerve conduction velocity, CT scans, CSF studies, psychometric and psychologic studies, and neuropsychological evaluation. The most important findings were: 11 patients from group A (58%) showed abnormal CT and only one patient from group B showed CT abnormalities. The neuropsychologic evaluation (performed by L. Bender technique and Picq-Vayer scale) showed more severe impairment (grade 3-4) in eight patients from group A (42%) and none in group B (p less than 0.001). Higher incidence of abnormalities in group A suggests the existence of more severe sequelae in the patients treated with cranial irradiation plus IT MTX-DMT than with IT MTX-DMT alone

Impairment of neuropsychological function in patients with hemodynamic cerebral ischemia and efficacy of bypass surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasoh, Masayuki

1999-01-01

In order to evaluate the relation between neuropsychological functions and hemodynamic cerebral ischemia, the author analyzed neuropsychological examination and the cerebral blood flow and metabolism of patients before and after bypass surgery. Twenty-five patients were defined by clinical and laboratory criteria as suffering from hemodynamic cerebral ischemia. All patients had one or more episodes of focal cerebral ischemia due to unilateral internal carotid or middle cerebral artery occlusion. Computerized tomography scans either were normal or showed evidence of watershed infarction. Based on these criteria, superficial temporal artery-proximal middle cerebral artery anastomosis was performed. The baseline cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ) and cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CVRC) were studied using positron emission computerized tomography (PET) and the acetazolamide test. Neuropsychological evaluations including Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised, Mini-Mental State and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), and PET study were completed one month after the last ischemic event and 3-6 months after the operation. A significant negative correlation was observed between OEF and neuropsychological functions. Postoperative neuropsychological functions showed significant improvement. Significant correlations were observed for ΔWAIS-R (preoperative WAIS-R postoperative WAIS-R) versus preoperative CMRO 2 (r=0.52), for ΔWAIS-R versus preoperative OEF (r=0.47). In view of these findings, the author concludes that elevation of OEF impairs neuropsychological functions and bypass surgery improves neuropsychological functions in patients with normal CMRO 2 and elevated OEF. (author)

Effects of central-nervous-system irradiation on neuropsychologic functioning of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soni, S.S.; Marten, G.W.; Pitner, S.E.; Duenas, D.A.; Powazek, M.

1975-01-01

Two neuropsychologic studies were performed to determine the long-term effects of ''prophylactic'' cranial or craniospinal irradiation on the psychologic and neurologic functions of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia. In a prospective study, 34 patients with leukemia who received either craniospinal irradiation or cranial irradiation combined with intrathecal methotrexate were evaluated by standardized neurologic and psychologic examinations before and after irradiation. Their performance was compared with that of 27 controls who received irradiation to parts of the body other than the cranium. In a retrospective study, 11 patients with leukemia receiving prophylactic craniospinal irradiation and 12 controls with the disease not receiving such therapy were followed from the second year after either irradiation or the initial hematologic remission. Eighteen months after irradiation in the prospective study and four years after irradiation in the retrospective study, no noteworthy neurologic or psychologic differences were found between subjects and controls

Molecular markers of neuropsychological functioning and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Melissa; Balldin, Valerie Hobson; Hall, James; O'Bryant, Sid

2015-03-01

The current project sought to examine molecular markers of neuropsychological functioning among elders with and without Alzheimer's disease (AD) and determine the predictive ability of combined molecular markers and select neuropsychological tests in detecting disease presence. Data were analyzed from 300 participants (n = 150, AD and n = 150, controls) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium. Linear regression models were created to examine the link between the top five molecular markers from our AD blood profile and neuropsychological test scores. Logistical regressions were used to predict AD presence using serum biomarkers in combination with select neuropsychological measures. Using the neuropsychological test with the least amount of variance overlap with the molecular markers, the combined neuropsychological test and molecular markers was highly accurate in detecting AD presence. This work provides the foundation for the generation of a point-of-care device that can be used to screen for AD.

Delusion disorder: Neuropsychological aspects

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Leposavić Ivana

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies concerned with neuropsychological aspect of delusions, were mainly focused on specific forms of this disorder. Comparatively small number of investigations were concerned with cognitive deficiencies accompanying the delusions. The substance of this study includes the detection of neuropsychological disfunctions in patients with persistent delusion disorder, and in tracing of these cognitive distortions to appropriate brain regions. Besides, characteristics of attribution style in these patients are analysed, from the aspect of their connections with unadjusted localized input for their reasoning system. The investigation is designed as a comparative study. The sample includes: a group of patients with persistent delusion disorder; a group of patients with paranoid schizophrenia; a group of healthy individuals. The participants have been tested by a neuropsychological battery that represents the following cognitive functions: attention, memory, vizuospatial and vizuoconstruction organization, executive ability, verbal divergent thinking. Projective Rorschach's method was used for estimation of attribution style.

The role of clinical variables, neuropsychological performance and SLC6A4 and COMT gene polymorphisms on the prediction of early response to fluoxetine in major depressive disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Gudayol-Ferré, Esteve; Herrera-Guzmán, Ixchel; Camarena, Beatriz; Cortés-Penagos, Carlos; Herrera-Abarca, Jorge E; Martínez-Medina, Patricia; Cruz, David; Hernández, Sandra; Genis, Alma; Carrillo-Guerrero, Mariana Y; Avilés Reyes, Rubén; Guàrdia-Olmos, Joan

2010-12-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is treated with antidepressants, but only between 50% and 70% of the patients respond to the initial treatment. Several authors suggested different factors that could predict antidepressant response, including clinical, psychophysiological, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and genetic variables. However, these different predictors present poor prognostic sensitivity and specificity by themselves. The aim of our work is to study the possible role of clinical variables, neuropsychological performance, and the 5HTTLPR, rs25531, and val108/58Met COMT polymorphisms in the prediction of the response to fluoxetine after 4weeks of treatment in a sample of patient with MDD. 64 patients with MDD were genotyped according to the above-mentioned polymorphisms, and were clinically and neuropsychologically assessed before a 4-week fluoxetine treatment. Fluoxetine response was assessed by using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. We carried out a binary logistic regression model for the potential predictive variables. Out of the clinical variables studied, only the number of anxiety disorders comorbid with MDD have predicted a poor response to the treatment. A combination of a good performance in variables of attention and low performance in planning could predict a good response to fluoxetine in patients with MDD. None of the genetic variables studied had predictive value in our model. The possible placebo effect has not been controlled. Our study is focused on response prediction but not in remission prediction. Our work suggests that the combination of the number of comorbid anxiety disorders, an attentional variable, and two planning variables makes it possible to correctly classify 82% of the depressed patients who responded to the treatment with fluoxetine, and 74% of the patients who did not respond to that treatment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Neuropsychological Outcomes From Randomized Controlled Trials

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Cortese, Samuele; Ferrin, Maite; Brandeis, Daniel; Buitelaar, Jan; Daley, David; Dittmann, Ralf W.; Holtmann, Martin; Santosh, Paramala; Stevenson, Jim; Stringaris, Argyris; Zuddas, Alessandro; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J.S.

2015-01-01

Objective The authors performed meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials to examine the effects of cognitive training on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, neuropsychological deficits, and academic skills in children/adolescents with ADHD. Method The authors searched Pubmed, Ovid, Web of Science, ERIC, and CINAHAL databases through May 18, 2014. Data were aggregated using random-effects models. Studies were evaluated with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results Sixteen of 695 nonduplicate records were analyzed (759 children with ADHD). When all types of training were considered together, there were significant effects on total ADHD (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.09–0.66) and inattentive symptoms (SMD = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.14–0.80) for reports by raters most proximal to the treatment setting (i.e., typically unblinded). These figures decreased substantially when the outcomes were provided by probably blinded raters (ADHD total: SMD = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.01–0.40; inattention: SMD = 0.32, 95% CI = −0.01 to 0.66). Effects on hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms were not significant. There were significant effects on laboratory tests of working memory (verbal: SMD = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.24–0.80; visual: SMD = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.23–0.70) and parent ratings of executive function (SMD = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.08–0.61). Effects on academic performance were not statistically significant. There were no effects of working memory training, specifically on ADHD symptoms. Interventions targeting multiple neuropsychological deficits had large effects on ADHD symptoms rated by most proximal assessors (SMD = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.46–1.12). Conclusion Despite improving working memory performance, cognitive training had limited effects on ADHD symptoms according to assessments based on blinded measures. Approaches targeting multiple neuropsychological processes may optimize the transfer of effects from cognitive deficits to

Counseling Psychology Doctoral Trainees' Satisfaction with Clinical Methods Training

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Menke, Kristen Ann

2015-01-01

Counseling psychology doctoral trainees' satisfaction with their clinical methods training is an important predictor of their self-efficacy as counselors, persistence in graduate programs, and probability of practicing psychotherapy in their careers (Fernando & Hulse-Killacky, 2005; Hadjipavlou & Ogrodniczuk, 2007; Morton & Worthley,…

Neuropsychological deficits associated with uraemic encephalopathy

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although uraemic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) often present with impaired cognitive functions, little information exists concerning the identification of some of the neuropsychological processes. underlying overt behaviour that affect adjustment to ESRD. The results of a neuropsychological investigation of a ...

[Neuropsychological models of autism spectrum disorders - behavioral evidence and functional imaging].

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Dziobek, Isabel; Bölte, Sven

2011-03-01

To review neuropsychological models of theory of mind (ToM), executive functions (EF), and central coherence (CC) as framework for cognitive abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Behavioral and functional imaging studies are described that assess social-cognitive, emotional, and executive functions as well as locally oriented perception in ASD. Impairments in ToM and EF as well as alterations in CC are frequently replicated phenomena in ASD. Especially problems concerning social perception and ToM have high explanatory value for clinical symptomatology. Brain activation patterns differ between individuals with and without ASD for ToM, EF, und CC functions. An approach focussing on reduced cortical connectivity seems to be increasingly favored over explanations focussing on single affected brain sites. A better understanding of the complexities of ASD in future research demands the integration of clinical, neuropsychological, functional imaging, and molecular genetics evidence. Weaknesses in ToM and EF as well as strengths in detail-focussed perception should be used for individual intervention planning.

Neurological implications and neuropsychological considerations on folk music and dance.

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Sironi, Vittorio A; Riva, Michele A

2015-01-01

Neurological and neuropsychological aspects of folk music and traditional dance have been poorly investigated by historical and scientific literature. Some of these performances could be indeed the manifestation of latent pathological conditions or the expression of liberation rituals. This chapter aimed at analyzing the relationships between traditional dance, folk music, and neurological and psychiatric disorders. Since ancient times, dance has been used in the individual or collective as treatment of some diseases, including epilepsy and movement disorders (dyskinesia, chorea, etc.). Dionysia in Ancient Greece, St. Vitus dance in the Middle Age, tarantism and other traditional dances of southern Italy and of non-Western countries might be credited as curative rituals of these neurological and psychiatric conditions. During the nineteenth century, dance was also used for the treatment of psychiatric patients; the relationship between dance and insanity could also be reflected in classical ballets and music of that period. Nowadays, neuropsychiatric manifestations could also be evidenced in modern dances (mass fainting at rock concerts, flash mobs); some ballroom dances are commonly used for the rehabilitation of patients suffering from neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Interdisciplinary research on these subjects (ethnomusicology and cultural anthropology, clinical neurology and dynamic psychology, neuroradiology and neurophysiology, and socioneurology and neuromusicology) should be increased. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multicultural Grand Rounds: Competency-Based Training Model for Clinical Psychology Graduate Students

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Stites, Shana D.; Warholic, Christina L.

2014-01-01

Preparing students to enter the field of psychology as competent professionals requires that multicultural practices be infused into all areas of training. This article describes how the Grand Rounds model was adapted to a graduate clinical psychology training program to foster applied learning in multicultural competence. This extension of Grand…

Of Course: Prerequisite Courses for Admission into APA-Accredited Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs

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Norcross, John C.; Sayette, Michael A.; Stratigis, Katerina Y.; Zimmerman, Barrett E.

2014-01-01

Students often inquire about which psychology courses to complete in preparation for graduate school. This study provides data that enable students and their advisors to make research-informed decisions. We surveyed the directors of the 304 American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology (97%…

Influence of negative stereotypes and beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a traumatic brain injury population.

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Kit, Karen A; Mateer, Catherine A; Tuokko, Holly A; Spencer-Rodgers, Julie

2014-02-01

The impact of stereotype threat and self-efficacy beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a clinical traumatic brain injury (TBI) population was investigated. A total of 42 individuals with mild-to-moderate TBI and 42 (age-, gender-, educationally matched) healthy adults were recruited. The study consisted of a 2 (Type of injury: control, TBI) × 2 (Threat Condition: reduced threat, heightened threat) between-participants design. The purpose of the reduced threat condition was to reduce negative stereotyped beliefs regarding cognitive effects of TBI and to emphasize personal control over cognition. The heightened threat condition consisted of an opposing view. Main effects included greater anxiety, motivation, and dejection but reduced memory self-efficacy for head-injured-groups, compared to control groups. On neuropsychological testing, the TBI-heightened-threat-group displayed lower scores on Initial Encoding (initial recall) and trended toward displaying lower scores on Attention (working memory) compared to the TBI-reduced-threat-group. No effect was found for Delayed Recall measures. Memory self-efficacy mediated the relation between threat condition and neuropsychological performance, indicating a potential mechanism for the threat effect. The findings highlight the impact of stereotype threat and self-referent beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a clinical TBI population.

Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation: Insights from Neurobiological, Psychological, and Clinical Studies

OpenAIRE

Guendelman, Simón; Medeiros, Sebastián; Rampes, Hagen

2017-01-01

There is increasing interest in the beneficial clinical effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Research has demonstrated their efficacy in a wide range of psychological conditions characterized by emotion dysregulation. Neuroimaging studies have evidenced functional and structural changes in a myriad of brain regions mainly involved in attention systems, emotion regulation, and self-referential processing. In this article we review studies on psychological and neurobiological corr...

Perception of Ethical Misconduct by Neuropsychology Professionals in Latin America.

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Panyavin, Ivan S; Goldberg-Looney, Lisa D; Rivera, Diego; Perrin, Paul B; Arango-Lasprilla, Juan Carlos

2015-08-01

To date, extremely limited research has focused on the ethical aspects of clinical neuropsychology practice in Latin America. The current study aimed to identify the frequency of perceived ethical misconduct in a sample of 465 self-identified neuropsychology professionals from Latin America in order to better guide policies for training and begin to establish standards for practitioners in the region. Frequencies of neuropsychologists who knew another professional engaging in ethical misconduct ranged from 1.1% to 60.4% in the areas of research, clinical care, training, and professional relationships. The most frequently reported perceived misconduct was in the domain of professional training and expertise, with nearly two thirds of participants knowing other professionals who do not possess adequate training to be working as neuropsychologists. The least frequently reported perceived misconduct was in the domain of professional relationships. Nearly one third of participants indicated that they had never received formal training in professional ethics. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessing the connection between organophosphate pesticide poisoning and mental health: A comparison of neuropsychological symptoms from clinical observations, animal models and epidemiological studies.

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Stallones, Lorann; Beseler, Cheryl L

2016-01-01

Psychiatry and psychology are beginning to recognize the importance of lead, mercury and heavy metals as causal partners in the development of mental disorders. Further, mental health researchers and clinicians are embracing the idea that the combined effects of genetics and environmental exposures can result in perturbations in brain neurochemistry leading to psychiatric disorders. The purpose of this review is to examine the biological foundations for the epidemiological observations previously identified by reviewing the toxicology literature and relating it to epidemiological studies addressing the role of poisoning with organophosphate pesticides (OPs) in neurobehavioral and neuropsychological disorders. The goal of this review is to raise awareness in the mental health community about the possibility that affective disorders might be the result of contributions from environmental and occupational pesticide poisoning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical Validity of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62): Further Evaluation and Clinical Applications

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McAleavey, Andrew A.; Nordberg, Samuel S.; Hayes, Jeffrey A.; Castonguay, Louis G.; Locke, Benjamin D.; Lockard, Allison J.

2012-01-01

Self-report instruments of psychological symptoms are increasingly used in counseling centers but rely on rigorous evaluation of their clinical validity. Three studies reported here (total N = 26,886) investigated the validity of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62; Locke et al., 2011) as an assessment and…

Patient satisfaction with a hospital-based neuropsychology service.

Science.gov (United States)

Foran, Amie; Millar, Elisa; Dorstyn, Diana

2016-09-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to develop and pilot a measure of patient satisfaction that encompasses themes, activities, settings and interactions specific to the neuropsychological assessment process. Methods A focus group of out-patients (n=15) was surveyed to identify the factors commonly associated with a satisfactory neuropsychological experience. Responses informed a purposely designed 14-item patient satisfaction scale (α=0.88) that was completed by 66 hospital out-patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Results Satisfaction with the neuropsychological assessment process was generally reported, with the testing phase (85%) rated significantly more favourably than the pre-assessment (79%) and feedback (70%) phases. Commentaries provided by 32 respondents identified interpersonal facilitators to a satisfactory neuropsychological assessment experience, but also dissatisfaction with physical aspects of the testing environment in addition to service availability. Conclusions The patient satisfaction scale can be used as a quality assurance tool to evaluate neuropsychological service delivery. Large-scale research is needed to confirm the scale's psychometric properties. Further research may also include a broader perspective on the consumers' experience of neuropsychological services.

Impairment of neuropsychological function in patients with hemodynamic cerebral ischemia and efficacy of bypass surgery

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Sasoh, Masayuki [Iwate Medical Univ., Morioka (Japan). School of Medicine

1999-08-01

In order to evaluate the relation between neuropsychological functions and hemodynamic cerebral ischemia, the author analyzed neuropsychological examination and the cerebral blood flow and metabolism of patients before and after bypass surgery. Twenty-five patients were defined by clinical and laboratory criteria as suffering from hemodynamic cerebral ischemia. All patients had one or more episodes of focal cerebral ischemia due to unilateral internal carotid or middle cerebral artery occlusion. Computerized tomography scans either were normal or showed evidence of watershed infarction. Based on these criteria, superficial temporal artery-proximal middle cerebral artery anastomosis was performed. The baseline cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO{sub 2}) and cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CVRC) were studied using positron emission computerized tomography (PET) and the acetazolamide test. Neuropsychological evaluations including Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised, Mini-Mental State and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), and PET study were completed one month after the last ischemic event and 3-6 months after the operation. A significant negative correlation was observed between OEF and neuropsychological functions. Postoperative neuropsychological functions showed significant improvement. Significant correlations were observed for {delta}WAIS-R (preoperative WAIS-R postoperative WAIS-R) versus preoperative CMRO{sub 2} (r=0.52), for {delta}WAIS-R versus preoperative OEF (r=0.47). In view of these findings, the author concludes that elevation of OEF impairs neuropsychological functions and bypass surgery improves neuropsychological functions in patients with normal CMRO{sub 2} and elevated OEF. (author)

Introduction to the Special Section on Teaching, Training, and Supervision in Personality and Psychological Assessment.

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Smith, Justin D

2017-01-01

This special section contains empirical and conceptual articles pertaining to the broad topic of teaching, training, and supervision of assessment. Despite some evidence of a decline in recent decades, assessment remains a defining practice of professional psychologists in many subfields, including clinical, counseling, school, and neuropsychology, that consumes a consequential proportion of their time. To restore assessment to its rightful place of prominence, a clear agenda needs to be developed for advancing teaching and training methods, increasing instruction to state-of-the-art methods, and defining aims that could be elucidated through empirical inquiry. The 7 articles in this special section provide a developmental perspective of these issues that collectively provide practical tools for instructors and begin to set the stage for a research agenda in this somewhat neglected area of study that is vital to the identity of professional psychology. Additionally, 2 comments are provided by distinguished figures in the field concerning the implications of the articles in the special section to health services psychology and the competencies-based movement in applied psychology.

Postdoctoral recruitment in neuropsychology: a review and call for inter-organizational action.

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Belanger, Heather G; Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Silva, Marc A; Cimino, Cynthia R; Roper, Brad L; Bodin, Doug

2013-01-01

The history of centralized matches for postgraduate selection is briefly discussed with a focus on the match instituted by the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) in 2001] Survey data, conducted both by APPCN and independently, are summarized. In general, despite incomplete participation and an estimated 30% rate of "exploding offers", applicants are somewhat satisfied with the match according to recent surveys (although satisfaction varies depending on whether an applicant matched). Given the high rate of withdrawal, the history of other specialties with suboptimal participation, and the concerns most commonly expressed by participants about this issue in survey data, there is cause for concern. We assert that incomplete participation in the match hurts applicants and programs. We propose that focused efforts are needed involving multiple organizations to enhance the match, including the Clinical Neuropsychology Synarchy (CNS) as our specialty council and the multiple organizations represented on the CNS.

Mental retardation in Nance-Horan syndrome: clinical and neuropsychological assessment in four families.

Science.gov (United States)

Toutain, A; Ayrault, A D; Moraine, C

1997-08-22

Nance-Horan syndrome (NHS) is a rare X-linked condition comprising congenital cataract with microcornea, distinctive dental, and evocative facial anomalies. Intellectual handicap was mentioned in seven published NHS patients. We performed a clinical study focused on psychomotor development, intellectual abilities, and behavior in 13 affected males in four NHS families, and present the results of a neuropsychological evaluation in 7 of them. Our study confirms that mental retardation (MR) can be a major component of the NHS. Combining our data with those from the literature leads to a frequency of MR in NHS of around 30%. In most cases, MR is mild or moderate (80%) and not associated with motor delay. Conversely, a profound mental handicap associated with autistic traits may be observed. MR has intra- and inter-familial variability but does not appear to be expressed in carriers. Awareness of MR in NHS may be of importance in the management of the patients, especially in terms of education. Cloning and characterization of the gene and analysis of mutations will be an important step towards understanding the molecular basis of mental deficiency in NHS, and in delineation from the other XLMR conditions at Xp22.

Autistic traits and neuropsychological performance in 6- to-10-year-old children: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyseni, Fjola; Blanken, Laura M E; Muetzel, Ryan; Verhulst, Frank C; Tiemeier, Henning; White, Tonya

2018-04-23

Clinical studies of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) provide evidence for poorer neuropsychological performance within specific domains compared to age, gender, and sometimes IQ-matched controls. Since recent evidence suggests that autistic symptoms form a spectrum that extends into the general population, it was our goal to evaluate the nature of the relationship between autistic traits and neuropsychological performance across the continuum in the general population. We examined neuropsychological performance across five different domains in 1019 6-to-10-year-old children participating in a population-based study of child development. Autistic traits were assessed when the children were 6 years of age using the Social Responsiveness Scale and ASD diagnoses were obtained via medical records. Neuropsychological functioning was measured using the NEPSY-II-NL and included the domains of attention and executive function, memory and learning, sensorimotor functioning, language, and visuospatial functioning. We found that children with higher autistic traits showed significantly lower neuropsychological performance in all domains investigated and that this association remained even after excluding children with the highest autistic traits or confirmed ASD. When comparing 41 children with confirmed ASD diagnosis to typically developing controls, children with ASD showed significantly lower neuropsychological performance across all domains. Taken together, our results suggest that children with both ASD and subclinical autistic traits have lower neuropsychological performance. Thus, this may provide an understanding of why some children without an ASD diagnosis may require some additional assistance within academic settings.

Childhood obesity treatment and prevention. Psychological perspectives of clinical approaches

OpenAIRE

Maria Catena Quattropani; Teresa Buccheri

2013-01-01

Objective: This work focuses on clinical psychologist’ presence within childhood obesity prevention programmes in several countries. Method: The Authors collected articles considering psychological, biological and social aspects linked to childhood obesity. Results: Studies reveal that childhood obesity prevention programmes are based on biological, medical and educational aspects; clinical psychologists up until now have been engaged almost exclusively in the treatment of obesity. Conclusion...

Training oncology and palliative care clinical nurse specialists in psychological skills: evaluation of a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Jane E; Aitken, Susan; Watson, Nina; McVey, Joanne; Helbert, Jan; Wraith, Anita; Taylor, Vanessa; Catesby, Sarah

2015-06-01

National guidelines in the United Kingdom recommend training Clinical Nurse Specialists in psychological skills to improve the assessment and intervention with psychological problems experienced by people with a cancer diagnosis (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2004). This pilot study evaluated a three-day training program combined with supervision sessions from Clinical Psychologists that focused on developing skills in psychological assessment and intervention for common problems experienced by people with cancer. Questionnaires were developed to measure participants' levels of confidence in 15 competencies of psychological skills. Participants completed these prior to the program and on completion of the program. Summative evaluation was undertaken and results were compared. In addition, a focus group interview provided qualitative data of participants' experiences of the structure, process, and outcomes of the program. Following the program, participants rated their confidence in psychological assessment and skills associated with providing psychological support as having increased in all areas. This included improved knowledge of psychological theories, skills in assessment and intervention and accessing and using supervision appropriately. The largest increase was in providing psycho-education to support the coping strategies of patients and carers. Thematic analysis of interview data identified two main themes including learning experiences and program enhancements. The significance of the clinical supervision sessions as key learning opportunities, achieved through the development of a community of practice, emerged. Although this pilot study has limitations, the results suggest that a combined teaching and supervision program is effective in improving Clinical Nurse Specialists' confidence level in specific psychological skills. Participants' experiences highlighted suggestions for refinement and development of the program

Beyond "utilitarianism": maximizing the clinical impact of moral judgment research.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosas, Alejandro; Koenigs, Michael

2014-01-01

The use of hypothetical moral dilemmas--which pit utilitarian considerations of welfare maximization against emotionally aversive "personal" harms--has become a widespread approach for studying the neuropsychological correlates of moral judgment in healthy subjects, as well as in clinical populations with social, cognitive, and affective deficits. In this article, we propose that a refinement of the standard stimulus set could provide an opportunity to more precisely identify the psychological factors underlying performance on this task, and thereby enhance the utility of this paradigm for clinical research. To test this proposal, we performed a re-analysis of previously published moral judgment data from two clinical populations: neurological patients with prefrontal brain damage and psychopathic criminals. The results provide intriguing preliminary support for further development of this assessment paradigm.

Short-Term Psychiatric Rehabilitation in Major Depressive and Bipolar Disorders: Neuropsychological-Psychosocial Outcomes.

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Perna, Giampaolo; Daccò, Silvia; Sacco, Ferdinando; Micieli, Wilma; Cavedini, Paolo; Caldirola, Daniela

2017-01-01

Our pilot study aims to investigate the efficacy of a Short-Term (4 weeks) Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program (S-T PsyRP), without specific cognitive remediation trainings, on the neuropsychological performance and psychosocial functioning of inpatients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Bipolar Disorder (BD). Published studies with similar aims are lacking. Fifty-three inpatients with MDD and 27 with BD (type I/II) were included. The S-T PsyRP was usually performed as clinical practice at Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital and included a variety of activities aimed at promoting personal autonomies, interpersonal/social skills, and self-care. At the beginning and the end of the hospitalization we evaluated: neuropsychological performance (cognitive tests on verbal/visual working memory, attention, visual-constructive ability, language fluency, and comprehension); psychosocial functioning by the Rehabilitation Areas Form (RAF, handbook VADO); illness severity by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Repeated-measure ANOVA and Pearson's linear correlation were used. We found significant improvement (pneuropsychological tests except for one, in 4 out of 6 RAF psychosocial areas ("involvement in ward activities", "autonomies", "self-care", and "self-management of health") and in clinical symptoms severity. No associations were found between the amelioration of clinical symptoms and neuropsychological or psychosocial improvement. A S-T PsyRP without specific cognitive remediation trainings may improve several cognitive/functional domains in MDD or BD inpatients, probably by offering opportunities to engage in demanding problem-solving conditions and cognitively stimulating activities.

Performance Validity Testing in Neuropsychology: Methods for Measurement Development and Maximizing Diagnostic Accuracy.

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Wodushek, Thomas R; Greher, Michael R

2017-05-01

In the first column in this 2-part series, Performance Validity Testing in Neuropsychology: Scientific Basis and Clinical Application-A Brief Review, the authors introduced performance validity tests (PVTs) and their function, provided a justification for why they are necessary, traced their ongoing endorsement by neuropsychological organizations, and described how they are used and interpreted by ever increasing numbers of clinical neuropsychologists. To enhance readers' understanding of these measures, this second column briefly describes common detection strategies used in PVTs as well as the typical methods used to validate new PVTs and determine cut scores for valid/invalid determinations. We provide a discussion of the latest research demonstrating how neuropsychologists can combine multiple PVTs in a single battery to improve sensitivity/specificity to invalid responding. Finally, we discuss future directions for the research and application of PVTs.

Clinical, psychological and maternal characteristics in early functional constipation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilincaslan, Huseyin; Abali, Osman; Demirkaya, Sevcan Karakoc; Bilici, Mustafa

2014-08-01

This cross-sectional study investigated the clinical features of functional constipation (FC) at preschool age, as well as emotional and behavioral characteristics of the children, psychological symptom level and parental attitudes of the mothers, and compared these with that of non-referred typically developing controls with normal intestinal habits. Participants included 65 children with FC (mean age, 43.6 ± 15.4 months; range, 25-72 months), 59 healthy controls (mean age, 46.9 ± 14.5 months; range, 25-72 months) and the mothers of the children. The Childhood Behavior Checklist, Symptom Checklist 90 and Parental Attitude Research Instrument were filled in by the mothers. Participants with FC had higher problem scores than the comparison children in a variety of emotional and behavioral parameters. Approximately half exhibited internalizing and one-third had externalizing problems in the clinical range. The mothers of the patient group had higher levels of psychological distress, overprotective parenting and strict discipline. On multiple logistic regression analysis child psychopathology, maternal education level and maternal distress were independently associated with FC. Behavior problems are common in children with FC from an early age. Low level of education and high psychological distress of the mothers seem to be important risk factors for constipation and should be assessed carefully in the management of these cases. © 2013 Japan Pediatric Society.

Italian neuropsychology in the second half of the twentieth century.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallar, Giuseppe; Boller, François; Grossi, Dario; Gainotti, Guido

2015-03-01

Since the early 1960s, human neuropsychology, the study of brain-behavior interrelations, mainly based on the analysis of their pathological variations, brought about by brain damage, has had a remarkable systematical development in Italy. All this started in Milan, with the neurologist Ennio de Renzi, and his collaborators (Luigi Vignolo, then Anna Basso, Pietro Faglioni, Hans Spinnler, François Boller, and, more autonomously, Edoardo Bisiach), in the Clinic of Nervous and Mental Diseases. Scientists of the "Milan group" investigated several neuropsychological deficits caused by focal hemispheric lesions in large series of left- and right-brain-damaged patients, and control participants, comparable for cultural and demographic variables. Standardized tests and advanced statistical methods were used, which also applied to the diagnosis and rehabilitation of aphasia. Subsequently, neuropsychology developed in Italy extensively, reaching high international reputation. Leading neuropsychologists have been the neurologists Guido Gainotti (Rome), and Franco Denes (Padua), the physicians and psychologists Luigi Pizzamiglio (Rome), and Carlo Umiltà (Parma, with fruitful interactions with the neurophysiologists Giovanni Berlucchi, Giacomo Rizzolatti, and Carlo Marzi, from the school of Giuseppe Moruzzi in Pisa) A second scientific generation of neuropsychologists has then developed in the 1970s, trained by the abovementioned scientists, further boosting and spreading high-level basic and applied research (diagnosis and rehabilitation of neuropsychological deficits of patients with brain damage or dysfunction throughout the life span, from childhood to the elderly). Available techniques include structural and functional imaging (CT, PET, SPET, MRI and fMRI Scans, DTI), electrophysiological recording (EEG, ERPs), non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS, tES), and their combined use.

Structural neuroimaging in neuropsychology: History and contemporary applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bigler, Erin D

2017-11-01

Neuropsychology's origins began long before there were any in vivo methods to image the brain. That changed with the advent of computed tomography in the 1970s and magnetic resonance imaging in the early 1980s. Now computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are routinely a part of neuropsychological investigations with an increasing number of sophisticated methods for image analysis. This review examines the history of neuroimaging utilization in neuropsychological investigations, highlighting the basic methods that go into image quantification and the various metrics that can be derived. Neuroimaging methods and limitations for identify what constitutes a lesion are discussed. Likewise, the influence of various demographic and developmental factors that influence quantification of brain structure are reviewed. Neuroimaging is an integral part of 21st Century neuropsychology. The importance of neuroimaging to advancing neuropsychology is emphasized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessing mental imagery in clinical psychology: A review of imagery measures and a guiding framework

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, David G.; Deeprose, Catherine; Wallace-Hadrill, Sophie M.A.; Heyes, Stephanie Burnett; Holmes, Emily A.

2013-01-01

Mental imagery is an under-explored field in clinical psychology research but presents a topic of potential interest and relevance across many clinical disorders, including social phobia, schizophrenia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. There is currently a lack of a guiding framework from which clinicians may select the domains or associated measures most likely to be of appropriate use in mental imagery research. We adopt an interdisciplinary approach and present a review of studies across experimental psychology and clinical psychology in order to highlight the key domains and measures most likely to be of relevance. This includes a consideration of methods for experimentally assessing the generation, maintenance, inspection and transformation of mental images; as well as subjective measures of characteristics such as image vividness and clarity. We present a guiding framework in which we propose that cognitive, subjective and clinical aspects of imagery should be explored in future research. The guiding framework aims to assist researchers in the selection of measures for assessing those aspects of mental imagery that are of most relevance to clinical psychology. We propose that a greater understanding of the role of mental imagery in clinical disorders will help drive forward advances in both theory and treatment. PMID:23123567

Neuropsychology 3.0: Evidence-Based Science and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Bilder, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Neuropsychology is poised for transformations of its concepts and methods, leveraging advances in neuroimaging, the human genome project, psychometric theory, and information technologies. It is argued that a paradigm shift towards evidence-based science and practice can be enabled by innovations, including: (1) formal definition of neuropsychological concepts and tasks in cognitive ontologies; (2) creation of collaborative neuropsychological knowledgebases; and (3) design of web-based assessment methods that permit free development, large-sample implementation, and dynamic refinement of neuropsychological tests and the constructs these aim to assess. This article considers these opportunities, highlights selected obstacles, and offers suggestions for stepwise progress towards these goals. PMID:21092355

Approaching neuropsychological tasks through adaptive neurorobots

Science.gov (United States)

Gigliotta, Onofrio; Bartolomeo, Paolo; Miglino, Orazio

2015-04-01

Neuropsychological phenomena have been modelized mainly, by the mainstream approach, by attempting to reproduce their neural substrate whereas sensory-motor contingencies have attracted less attention. In this work, we introduce a simulator based on the evolutionary robotics platform Evorobot* in order to setting up in silico neuropsychological tasks. Moreover, in this study we trained artificial embodied neurorobotic agents equipped with a pan/tilt camera, provided with different neural and motor capabilities, to solve a well-known neuropsychological test: the cancellation task in which an individual is asked to cancel target stimuli surrounded by distractors. Results showed that embodied agents provided with additional motor capabilities (a zooming/attentional actuator) outperformed simple pan/tilt agents, even those equipped with more complex neural controllers and that the zooming ability is exploited to correctly categorising presented stimuli. We conclude that since the sole neural computational power cannot explain the (artificial) cognition which emerged throughout the adaptive process, such kind of modelling approach can be fruitful in neuropsychological modelling where the importance of having a body is often neglected.

Neuropsychological screening of children of substance-abusing women attending a Special Child Welfare Clinic in Norway

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Skogmo Idar

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Exposure to alcohol and illicit substances during pregnancy can have an impact on the child for the rest of his/her life. A Special Child Welfare Clinic (SCWC in Norway provides care for pregnant women with substance abuse problems. Treatment and support are provided without replacement therapy. Methods We performed a neuropsychological screening of 40 children aged four to 11 years whose mothers had attended the SCWC during pregnancy, and of a comparison group of 80 children of women without substance abuse problems. The children were presented with tests chosen from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, third version (WISC-III, Nepsy, Halstead-Reitan and Raven's Progressive Matrices, Coloured Version. The tests were grouped into five main domains; (1 learning and memory, (2 visual scanning, planning and attention, (3 executive function, (4 visuo-motor speed and dexterity and (5 general intellectual ability Results No children in the study had test results in the clinical range in any domain. Bivariate analyses revealed that children of short-term substance-abusing mothers (who stopped substance abuse within the first trimester had significantly lower test scores than the comparison group in three out of five domains (domain 2,3,4. Children of long-term substance abusers (who maintained moderate substance abuse throughout pregnancy had significantly lower test results than the comparison group in one domain of the test results (domain 1. All but one child in the long-term group were or had been in foster homes. Most children in the short-term group stayed with their mothers. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that foster care minimum 50% of life time was associated with better scores on domains (1 learning and memory, (2 visual scanning, planning and attention, and (3 executive functions, while no significant associations with test scores was found for substance abuse and birth before 38 weeks of gestation

Neuropsychological screening of children of substance-abusing women attending a Special Child Welfare Clinic in Norway.

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Hjerkinn, Bjørg; Lindbaek, Morten; Skogmo, Idar; Rosvold, Elin Olaug

2010-07-20

Exposure to alcohol and illicit substances during pregnancy can have an impact on the child for the rest of his/her life. A Special Child Welfare Clinic (SCWC) in Norway provides care for pregnant women with substance abuse problems. Treatment and support are provided without replacement therapy. We performed a neuropsychological screening of 40 children aged four to 11 years whose mothers had attended the SCWC during pregnancy, and of a comparison group of 80 children of women without substance abuse problems. The children were presented with tests chosen from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, third version (WISC-III), Nepsy, Halstead-Reitan and Raven's Progressive Matrices, Coloured Version. The tests were grouped into five main domains; (1) learning and memory, (2) visual scanning, planning and attention, (3) executive function, (4) visuo-motor speed and dexterity and (5) general intellectual ability No children in the study had test results in the clinical range in any domain. Bivariate analyses revealed that children of short-term substance-abusing mothers (who stopped substance abuse within the first trimester) had significantly lower test scores than the comparison group in three out of five domains (domain 2,3,4). Children of long-term substance abusers (who maintained moderate substance abuse throughout pregnancy) had significantly lower test results than the comparison group in one domain of the test results (domain 1). All but one child in the long-term group were or had been in foster homes. Most children in the short-term group stayed with their mothers. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that foster care minimum 50% of life time was associated with better scores on domains (1) learning and memory, (2) visual scanning, planning and attention, and (3) executive functions, while no significant associations with test scores was found for substance abuse and birth before 38 weeks of gestation. Children raised by former substance abusing

Effect of demographic data on neuropsychological tests

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Ahmet Evlice

2016-09-01

Material and Methods: Between 2014-2016 years; mini mental state examination, forward and backward digit span, verbal fluency (semantic and lexical, clock drawing, verbal and visual memory tests were performed to healthy people. The presence of correlation between neuropsychological tests and gender, age and education were researched in healthy people. Results: Hundred subjects (60 female, 40 male were included to study. No difference was observed between male and female subjects on neuropsychological tests. There was negative correlation between age and mini mental state examination, digit span and semantic fluency tests. And also there was positive correlation between education and all neuropsychological tests (except verbal memory test. Conclusion: The mean neuropsychological test scores in healthy people were not shown differences by gender, but they were affected by age and education. [Cukurova Med J 2016; 41(3.000: 528-532

Revisioning the Clinical Relationship: Heinz Kohut and the Viewpoint of Self-Psychology.

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Masek, Robert J.

Psychoanalysis is undergoing rapid and remarkable changes in its basic metapsychology, theoretical reflections, and concrete, clinical interventions. Through self-psychology, Heinz Kohut's alternative views on the clinical relationship have contributed to this restructuring of psychoanalysis. Traditionally, mainstream psychoanalysis has viewed the…

Clinical and scientific progress related to the interface between cardiology and psychology

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Erdman, R A M; Pedersen, Susanne S.

2011-01-01

in need of repair, combined with the understanding that the heart and mind interact to affect health. The present selective review addresses the broad range of contributions of 35 years of psychology to clinical cardiology and cardiovascular research with a focus on research, teaching, psychological...... screening and patient care. The review ends with lessons to be learned and challenges for the future with respect to improving the care and management of patients with heart disease in order to enhance secondary prevention and the role of behavioural and psychological factors in this endeavour....

Teaching Statistics in APA-Accredited Doctoral Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: A Syllabi Review

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Ord, Anna S.; Ripley, Jennifer S.; Hook, Joshua; Erspamer, Tiffany

2016-01-01

Although statistical methods and research design are crucial areas of competency for psychologists, few studies explore how statistics are taught across doctoral programs in psychology in the United States. The present study examined 153 American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology and aimed…

Neuropsychological consequences of boxing and recommendations to improve safety: a National Academy of Neuropsychology education paper.

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Heilbronner, Robert L; Bush, Shane S; Ravdin, Lisa D; Barth, Jeffrey T; Iverson, Grant L; Ruff, Ronald M; Lovell, Mark R; Barr, William B; Echemendia, Ruben J; Broshek, Donna K

2009-02-01

Boxing has held appeal for many athletes and audiences for centuries, and injuries have been part of boxing since its inception. Although permanent and irreversible neurologic dysfunction does not occur in the majority of participants, an association has been reported between the number of bouts fought and the development of neurologic, psychiatric, or histopathological signs and symptoms of encephalopathy in boxers. The purpose of this paper is to (i) provide clinical neuropsychologists, other health-care professionals, and the general public with information about the potential neuropsychological consequences of boxing, and (ii) provide recommendations to improve safety standards for those who participate in the sport.

Machine Learning Approaches for Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry.

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Dwyer, Dominic B; Falkai, Peter; Koutsouleris, Nikolaos

2018-05-07

Machine learning approaches for clinical psychology and psychiatry explicitly focus on learning statistical functions from multidimensional data sets to make generalizable predictions about individuals. The goal of this review is to provide an accessible understanding of why this approach is important for future practice given its potential to augment decisions associated with the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of people suffering from mental illness using clinical and biological data. To this end, the limitations of current statistical paradigms in mental health research are critiqued, and an introduction is provided to critical machine learning methods used in clinical studies. A selective literature review is then presented aiming to reinforce the usefulness of machine learning methods and provide evidence of their potential. In the context of promising initial results, the current limitations of machine learning approaches are addressed, and considerations for future clinical translation are outlined.

The influence of awake craniotomy on postoperative neuropsychology

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YANG Ming-yuan

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Objective To assess the neuropsychological function and quality of life of the patients after awake craniotomy (AC. Methods A case-control study was conducted among 81 patients who underwent awake craniotomy, and a 1-to-1 control group (matched by age, gender, degree of education, tumor location and characteristic undergoing general anesthesia (GA in glioma resections was assembled. The incidence of postoperative neurological deficits, psychological disorders and recurrence were investigated during telephone follow-ups, and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36 was adopted to evaluate the life quality of patients. Results Almost 73 pairs of patients fulfilled the survey of AC and GA group respectively. There were 21 patients and 28 patients with postoperative neurological deficits, and 12 patients and 8 patients with psychological disorders in AC and GA group respectively. Thirty patients of AC group had the recollection of being awake during the surgery. There were 9 patients in CA group having long-term ( > 6 months neurological deficits, which was less than the number of GA group (18 patients, P = 0.038. According to the assessment in short-term, medium-term and long-term postoperative neurological deficits, there was no significant difference in the quality-of-life scores between the two groups (P > 0.05, for all. Conclusion Awake craniotomy can be the main method for removing the lesions located in or close to functional areas with lower incidence of long?term postoperative neurological deficits, and it has no significant impact on the psychological status and the quality of life postoperatively．

Problems and opportunity of personality inventories in clinical - psychological practice

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Emil Benedik

2002-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with possibilities and problems of usage of personality inventories in psychological diagnostic of persons with "heavy pathology", from aspect of validity and applicability in the first place. Personality inventories are usually designed for health population. By their usage in clinical psychology we often meet problems like specific tendencies when answering defined questions. This could be the result of situational factors but also the impact of their disorders and personality. The possibilities of classical interpretation of results are in this way limited. Do we have the opportunity of development of the diagnostic instruments that we could, not only recognise, but use such deformations (which represent cognitive style or defence of person in diagnostic purpose? The MMPI-2, most famous inventory in this field, offer us great aid, especially because its items are selected empirically. By the analysis of its items from aspect of sensing and localisation of subjects problems, we found differences between clinical scales which represent patients of different clinical groups. These differences are in accordance with psychoanalytical assumptions about characteristics of sensing self and other people.

Children's Views Matter Too! A Pilot Project Assessing Children's and Adolescents' Experiences of Clinical Psychology Services

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Gordon, Michael; Russo, Kate

2009-01-01

This pilot study explored the experiences and understanding of clinical psychology practices and services of children and adolescents attending clinical psychology outpatient appointments. Fifteen young participants took part in the study. A content analysis indicated that young children and adolescents have an appropriate understanding of the…

Longitudinal Neuropsychological Profile in a Patient with Triple A Syndrome

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Luigi Mazzone

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Triple A syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the triad of adrenocorticotropic hormone resistant adrenal insufficiency, achalasia, and alacrima. Our aim was to describe the neuropsychological characteristics and the cooccurring psychopathological and neurological disorders in an Italian male child suffering from Triple A syndrome at the time of admission (T0 and after one year of follow-up (T1. Many difficulties were observed in the motor domain, as well as in manual dexterity and static/dynamic balance domains of the motor task over time. In sharp contrast with previous literature reports on frequent mild cognitive dysfunction in patients with Triple A syndrome, our child did not show any mental retardation. By contrast, he showed an average IQ at T0 with a slight improvement at T1. To our knowledge, this report is the first describing neuropsychological profile and co-occurring psychopathological problems in a child with Triple A syndrome. Considering that the Triple A syndrome is a progressive disorder which can take years to develop the full-blown clinical picture, these patients require periodical medical controls. Moreover, assessment of neuropsychological and psychopathological features should be performed in patients with this disease, in order to underline the variability of this syndrome.

Apartheid and post-apartheid intern clinical psychology training in South Africa.

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Pillay, Anthony L

2009-12-01

An analysis of race and sex of clinical psychology interns was undertaken at a major training hospital complex during the Apartheid and Post-apartheid periods. 7 of 87 (8.1%) interns trained in the apartheid period were Black African. Significantly more Black Africans and women were trained during the Post-apartheid period. The results were discussed within the context of South Africa's social and political transition, as well as international trends relating to sex and professional psychology.

Auditory pathways and processes: implications for neuropsychological assessment and diagnosis of children and adolescents.

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Bailey, Teresa

2010-01-01

Neuroscience research on auditory processing pathways and their behavioral and electrophysiological correlates has taken place largely outside the field of clinical neuropsychology. Deviations and disruptions in auditory pathways in children and adolescents result in a well-documented range of developmental and learning impairments frequently referred for neuropsychological evaluation. This review is an introduction to research from the last decade. It describes auditory cortical and subcortical pathways and processes and relates recent research to specific conditions and questions neuropsychologists commonly encounter. Auditory processing disorders' comorbidity with ADHD and language-based disorders and research addressing the challenges of assessment and differential diagnosis are discussed.

Psychological variables and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV performance.

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Gass, Carlton S; Gutierrez, Laura

2017-01-01

The MMPI-2 and WAIS-IV are commonly used together in neuropsychological evaluations yet little is known about their interrelationships. This study explored the potential influence of psychological factors on WAIS-IV performance in a sample of 180 predominantly male veteran referrals that underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological examination in a VA Medical Center. Exclusionary criteria included failed performance validity testing and self-report distortion on the MMPI-2. A Principal Components Analysis was performed on the 15 MMPI-2 content scales, yielding three broader higher-order psychological dimensions: Internalized Emotional Dysfunction (IED), Externalized Emotional Dysfunction (EED), and Fear. Level of IED was not related to performance on the WAIS-IV Full Scale IQ or its four indexes: (Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed). EED was not related to WAIS-IV performance. Level of Fear, which encompasses health preoccupations (HEA) and distorted perceptions (BIZ), was significantly related to WAIS-IV Full Scale IQ and Verbal Comprehension. These results challenge the common use of high scores on the MMPI-2 IED measures (chiefly depression and anxiety) to explain deficient WAIS-IV performance. In addition, they provide impetus for further investigation of the relation between verbal intelligence and Fear.

Neuropsychology and socioeconomic aspects of Klinefelter syndrome: new developments.

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Skakkebæk, Anne; Wallentin, Mikkel; Gravholt, Claus H

2015-06-01

To summarize recent important studies on neuropsychology and epidemiology of Klinefelter syndrome. PubMed was searched for 'Klinefelter', 'Klinefelter's' and 'XXY' in titles and abstracts. Relevant studies were obtained and reviewed, as well as other articles selected by the authors. Klinefelter syndrome is the most common sex-chromosome disorder in humans, affecting one in 660 men. The key findings in Klinefelter syndrome are small testes, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and cognitive impairment. Klinefelter syndrome scores significantly below education matched controls on a range of cognitive tests with verbal skills displaying the largest effects. Boys with Klinefelter syndrome are often in the need of speech therapy and many suffer from learning disability and may benefit from special education. New studies are elucidating aspects of cognitive functioning and suggesting that neuropsychological treatment may be of value. The socioeconomic status and educational level of Klinefelter syndrome is severely affected with many struggling to achieve any or only shorter education, resulting in low-income levels and early retirement. In addition, few become fathers and fewer live with a partner compared with controls. Medical treatment is mainly testosterone replacement therapy in order to alleviate acute and long-term consequences of hypogonadism, as well as, treating or preventing the frequent comorbidity. The neurocognitive phenotype of Klinefelter syndrome is being unraveled and the need for psychological and cognitive treatment in many cases is evident. The neurocognitive deficits no doubt influence the socioeconomic status of many Klinefelter syndrome patients, which is clearly inferior to age-matched controls.

Construct Validity of Neuropsychological Tests in Schizophrenia.

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Allen, Daniel N.; Aldarondo, Felito; Goldstein, Gerald; Huegel, Stephen G.; Gilbertson, Mark; van Kammen, Daniel P.

1998-01-01

The construct validity of neuropsychological tests in patients with schizophrenia was studied with 39 patients who were evaluated with a battery of six tests assessing attention, memory, and abstract reasoning abilities. Results support the construct validity of the neuropsychological tests in patients with schizophrenia. (SLD)

Neuropsychological function following mild exposure to pentaborane

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Hart, R.P.; Silverman, J.J.; Garrettson, L.K.; Schulz, C.; Hamer, R.M.

1984-01-01

Neuropsychological tests and self-report personality inventories were administered to 14 workers and rescue squad personnel approximately 2 months following mild exposure to pentaborane, a highly toxic volatile liquid boron hydride. Performance decrements were evident on 5 of 11 neuropsychological tests, including Block Design and measures of sustained attention and recent memory. Neuropsychological deficits were not related to emotional changes reported on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist nor to the presence of CT scan abnormality. These results indicate mild residual brain dysfunction following pentaborane intoxication, including possible dysfunction in subcortical regions mediating memory processes and in cortical areas mediating visuo-spatial abilities

Bilingualism and performance on two widely used developmental neuropsychological test batteries.

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Karlsson, Linda C; Soveri, Anna; Räsänen, Pekka; Kärnä, Antti; Delatte, Sonia; Lagerström, Emma; Mård, Lena; Steffansson, Mikaela; Lehtonen, Minna; Laine, Matti

2015-01-01

The present study investigated the effect of bilingualism on the two widely used developmental neuropsychological test batteries Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition (NEPSY-II) in children. The sample consisted of 100 Finland-Swedish children in two age groups. About half (n = 52) of the participants were early simultaneous bilinguals, and the other half (n = 48) were monolinguals. As no Finland-Swedish versions of the tests are available at the moment, both tests were translated and adapted to suit this population. The results revealed no difference in the performance between bilingual and monolingual children. This speaks against a cognitive advantage in bilingual children and indicates that development of separate norms for monolingual and bilingual children is not needed for clinical use.

[Neuropsychology of mildly disabled patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis].

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Santiago Rolanía, Olga; Guàrdia Olmos, Joan; Arbizu Urdiain, Txomin

2006-02-01

Previous papers have mainly demonstrated the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), these changes have been traditionally associated with the later stages of the disease. In the current study, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to 216 relapsing-remitting MS patients with mild clinical disability (EDSSreproduction visual memory; and long term verbal memory of texts, and information processing speed. We also observed greeter incidence of depressive symptoms in patients. And a little relation of the cognitive deficits with the clinical variables in these phase of the disease.

Theory of mind, empathy and neuropsychological functioning in X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy: a controlled study of 20 patients.

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Di Rosa, Elisa; Sorarù, Gianni; Kleinbub, Johann Roland; Calvo, Vincenzo; Vallesi, Antonino; Querin, Giorgia; Marcato, Sonia; Grasso, Irene; Palmieri, Arianna

2015-02-01

Recent studies have described brain involvement, mainly at frontal level, in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), a rare adult-onset motor neuron disease caused by a CAG repeat in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. The aim of our research was to investigate the poorly characterized neuropsychological and psychological profile of these patients, on the basis of previous literature. We administered a neuropsychological screening and tests relating to cognitive and affective empathy, attributed to the theory of mind (ToM) framework, to 20 males with SBMA, and to age- and education-matched controls. Although patients' neuropsychological performance was unimpaired, a clear dissociation emerged between their cognitive and affective empathy. Patients had distinctive deficits in mentalizing, as assessed with the Faux Pas Test, whilst affective empathy (i.e., sharing experience), assessed with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, appeared to be preserved. The likely implications of subtle frontal lobe impairments on the one hand, and a protective influence of androgen insensitivity in these patients on the other, are discussed in the light of our results.

Optimizing Neuropsychological Assessments for Cognitive, Behavioral, and Functional Impairment Classification: A Machine Learning Study

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Petronilla Battista

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD show loss of cognitive functions and change in behavioral and functional state affecting the quality of their daily life and that of their families and caregivers. A neuropsychological assessment plays a crucial role in detecting such changes from normal conditions. However, despite the existence of clinical measures that are used to classify and diagnose AD, a large amount of subjectivity continues to exist. Our aim was to assess the potential of machine learning in quantifying this process and optimizing or even reducing the amount of neuropsychological tests used to classify AD patients, also at an early stage of impairment. We investigated the role of twelve state-of-the-art neuropsychological tests in the automatic classification of subjects with none, mild, or severe impairment as measured by the clinical dementia rating (CDR. Data were obtained from the ADNI database. In the groups of measures used as features, we included measures of both cognitive domains and subdomains. Our findings show that some tests are more frequently best predictors for the automatic classification, namely, LM, ADAS-Cog, AVLT, and FAQ, with a major role of the ADAS-Cog measures of delayed and immediate memory and the FAQ measure of financial competency.

Savant Syndrome: Clinical and Neuropsychological Features

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Ibrahim Durukan

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Savant syndrome defines the people who have severe developmental and mental disabilities but also have extraordinary mental skills which are missing in many people. Although general mental capacity is under average mental level, savant has excessive knowledge about one or more domains. It is accepted that as many as one in 10 persons with autistic disorder have such remarkable abilities in varying degrees, although savant syndrome occurs in other developmental disabilities or in other types of central nervous system injury or disease as well. Males outnumber females by an approximate 6 : 1 ratio in savant syndrome. Savant skills are limited to five general categories. These are music, art, calender calculating, mathematics and mechanical or spatial skills. Savant skills can also be divided into three as savants who have splinter skills, talented savants and prodigious savants. A remarkable memory welds to the special abilities determined in savant syndrome. Savant syndrome can be congenital or it can be acquired. Most often savant skills emerge in childhood, superimposed on some underlying developmental disability present at birth. However, acquired savant skills can also appear, when none were previously present, in neurotypical individuals following brain injury or disease later in infancy, childhood or adult life. Savant skills don’t depend on only rote memory. It is approved that an enhanced or spared ability to represent and manipulate highly organised domain-specific information. Various theoretic models were defined to explain the neuropsychological profile in savant syndrome. Interest in savants has a long history, stretching back to the early 18th century; nevertheless, the savant syndrome remains as much a mystery now as it did when it was first described. Given that many questions about the existence and nature of savant talent remain unanswered, it seems likely that research efforts will continue unabated.

[Neuropsychology of humor: an introduction Part 1. Psychological data].

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Derouesné, Christian

2016-03-01

Humor is, from a psychological point of view, a complex process involving cognitive, affective, interspersonal and social elements in a interpersonal context. Its cognitive core is based on the perception of incongruity between two related inconsistent or contradictory mental representations. The total or partial resolution of incongruity in a playful frame is associated with a specific positive emotion, which characteristics and intensity are determined by the structure of the humoristic stimulus more than its content, and the personal and social contexts. Main theories of humor are reviewed as well as its development, its cognitive and affective correlates, and the influence of genre, age and personality.

A review of the phenomenology and cognitive neuropsychological origins of the Capgras syndrome.

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Edelstyn, N M; Oyebode, F

1999-01-01

In this article the epidemiology, aetiology, neuroanatomy and neuropsychology of the Capgras syndrome (CS) are reviewed in detail. CS is characterized by the delusional belief that one or a few highly familiar people have been replaced by impostors who are physically very similar to the original/s. The patient acknowledges that the double and known person look alike, but maintains the belief that the significant person, in psychological terms, is absent. CS is relatively rare, occurring predominantly in the context of schizophrenia, and was traditionally considered to have its origins in psychodynamic conflict. More recently, however, it has been estimated that between 25 and 40% of cases are associated with organic disorders, which include dementia, head trauma, epilepsy and cerebrovascular disease. Neuroimaging evidence suggests a link between CS and right hemisphere abnormalities, particularly in the frontal and temporal regions. Neuropsychological research has provided empirical support for these findings, by consistently reporting the presence of impairments in facial processing--an established right hemisphere function. It is likely that the study of this symptom will lead to a greater understanding of the neurological basis of psychotic experiences and may provide a paradigm for how the psychoses should be investigated.

WOMEN AND ADVANCEMENT IN NEUROPSYCHOLOGY:REAL-LIFE LESSONS LEARNED

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Hilsabeck, Robin C.; Martin, Eileen M.

2013-01-01

The number of women in neuropsychology has been increasing over the past 20 years while the number of women in senior and leadership positions within neuropsychology has not. The field of neuropsychology has much to gain by facilitating the advancement of women into leadership roles, including access to some of the brightest and creative minds in the field. The purpose of this article is to offer practical advice about how to overcome barriers and advance within neuropsychology. Suggestions for professional organizations, women, and mentors of women are provided that will likely benefit trainees and junior colleagues regardless of their gender. PMID:18841516

Women and advancement in neuropsychology: real-life lessons learned.

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Hilsabeck, Robin C; Martin, Eileen M

2010-04-01

The number of women in neuropsychology has been increasing over the past 20 years while the number of women in senior and leadership positions within neuropsychology has not. The field of neuropsychology has much to gain by facilitating the advancement of women into leadership roles, including access to some of the brightest and creative minds in the field. The purpose of this article is to offer practical advice about how to overcome barriers and advance within neuropsychology. Suggestions for professional organizations, women, and mentors of women are provided that will likely benefit trainees and junior colleagues regardless of their gender.

Recent and Long-Term Soccer Heading Exposure Is Differentially Associated With Neuropsychological Function in Amateur Players.

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Levitch, Cara F; Zimmerman, Molly E; Lubin, Naomi; Kim, Namhee; Lipton, Richard B; Stewart, Walter F; Kim, Mimi; Lipton, Michael L

2018-02-01

The present study examined the relative contribution of recent or long-term heading to neuropsychological function in amateur adult soccer players. Soccer players completed a baseline questionnaire (HeadCount-12m) to ascertain heading during the prior 12 months (long-term heading, LTH) and an online questionnaire (HeadCount-2w) every 3 months to ascertain heading during the prior 2 weeks (recent heading, RH). Cogstate, a battery of six neuropsychological tests, was administered to assess neuropsychological function. Generalized estimating equations were used to test if LTH or RH was associated with neuropsychological function while accounting for the role of recognized concussion. A total of 311 soccer players completed 630 HeadCount-2w. Participants had an average age of 26 years. Participants headed the ball a median of 611 times/year (mean=1,384.03) and 9.50 times/2 weeks (mean=34.17). High levels of RH were significantly associated with reduced performance on a task of psychomotor speed (p=.02), while high levels of LTH were significantly associated with poorer performance on tasks of verbal learning (p=.03) and verbal memory (p=.04). Significantly better attention (p=.02) was detectable at moderately high levels of RH, but not at the highest level of RH. One hundred and seven (34.4%) participants reported a lifetime history of concussion, but this was not related to neuropsychological function and did not modify the association of RH or LTH with neuropsychological function. High levels of both RH and LTH were associated with poorer neuropsychological function, but on different domains. The clinical manifestations following repetitive exposure to heading could change with chronicity of exposure. (JINS, 2018, 24, 147-155).

Benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms: neuropsychological findings.

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Germanò, Eva; Gagliano, Antonella; Magazù, Angela; Sferro, Caterina; Calarese, Tiziana; Mannarino, Erminia; Calamoneri, Filippo

2005-05-01

Benign childhood epilepsy with occipital paroxysms is classified among childhood benign partial epilepsies. The absence of neurological and neuropsychological deficits has long been considered as a prerequisite for a diagnosis of benign childhood partial epilepsy. Much evidence has been reported in literature in the latest years suggesting a neuropsychological impairment in this type of epilepsy, particularly in the type with Rolandic paroxysms. The present work examines the neuropsychological profiles of a sample of subjects affected by the early-onset benign childhood occipital seizures (EBOS) described by Panayotopulos. The patient group included 22 children (14 males and 8 females; mean age 10.1+/-3.3 years) diagnosed as having EBOS. The patients were examined with a set of tests investigating neuropsychological functions: memory, attention, perceptive, motor, linguistic and academic (reading, writing, arithmetic) abilities. The same instruments have been given to a homogeneous control group as regards sex, age, level of education and socio-economic background. None of the subjects affected by EBOS showed intellectual deficit (mean IQ in Wechsler Full Scale 91.7; S.D. 8.9). Results show a widespread cognitive dysfunction in the context of a focal epileptogenic process in EBOS. In particular, children with EBOS show a significant occurrence of specific learning disabilities (SLD) and other subtle neuropsychological deficits. We found selective dysfunctions relating to perceptive-visual attentional ability (pmemory abilities (psupports the hypothesis that epilepsy itself plays a role in the development of neuropsychological impairment. Supported by other studies that have documented subtle neuropsychological deficits in benign partial epilepsy, we stress the importance of reconsidering its supposed "cognitive benignity", particularly in occipital types.

The neuropsychological and neuroradiological correlates of slowly progressive visual agnosia.

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Giovagnoli, Anna Rita; Aresi, Anna; Reati, Fabiola; Riva, Alice; Gobbo, Clara; Bizzi, Alberto

2009-04-01

The case of a 64-year-old woman affected by slowly progressive visual agnosia is reported aiming to describe specific cognitive-brain relationships. Longitudinal clinical and neuropsychological assessment, combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), spectroscopy, and positron emission tomography (PET) were used. Sequential neuropsychological evaluations performed during a period of 9 years since disease onset showed the appearance of apperceptive and associative visual agnosia, alexia without agraphia, agraphia, finger agnosia, and prosopoagnosia, but excluded dementia. MRI showed moderate diffuse cortical atrophy, with predominant atrophy in the left posterior cortical areas (temporal, parietal, and lateral occipital cortical gyri). 18FDG-PET showed marked bilateral posterior cortical hypometabolism; proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging disclosed severe focal N-acetyl-aspartate depletion in the left temporoparietal and lateral occipital cortical areas. In conclusion, selective metabolic alterations and neuronal loss in the left temporoparietooccipital cortex may determine progressive visual agnosia in the absence of dementia.

Clinical psychology students' perceptions of diversity training: a study of exposure and satisfaction.

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Green, Debbie; Callands, Tamora A; Radcliffe, Alison M; Luebbe, Aaron M; Klonoff, Elizabeth A

2009-10-01

This study examined clinical psychology graduate students' definitions of diversity and their perceptions of their exposure to and satisfaction regarding their level of diversity training. Four hundred and ninety-one students from Counsel of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP) member programs completed an online survey. Overall, students perceived that their programs considered diversity narrowly, concentrating primarily on ethnicity, race, and culture to the neglect of sexual orientation, religion, language, and physical disability. Likewise, students expressed greater satisfaction with training regarding ethnicity/race and gender than broader areas of diversity, but rated the importance of addressing all areas of diversity as high. Although this study underscores the limited experience that students perceive they have had with various underrepresented groups, programs appear to have incorporated a variety of diversity training modalities that could be expanded upon to meet the interests of psychology students.

Narcolepsy: Pathophysiology and Neuropsychological Changes

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Angela Naumann

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Narcolepsy is now recognized as a distinctive disorder with specific pathophysiology and neurochemical abnormalities. Findings on the role of the neuropeptide hypocretin are opening new avenues of research and new strategies for therapy. Recently, neuropsychological and electrophysiological studies have provided evidence for reduced memory performance on standard memory tests in addition to subjective complaints of forgetfulness which may be related to changes in attentional processing. Further studies are, however, necessary to clarify the neuropsychological profile in narcolepsy. This review focuses on the recent advances in understanding narcolepsy.

Neuropsychology: music of the hemispheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stewart, Lauren; Walsh, Vincent

2001-01-01

Music may be the food of love but it is also good fodder for cognitive scientists. Here we highlight a recent study of a neuropsychological patient who has lost her ability to read music, but not text, in the absence of any other musical deficit.......Music may be the food of love but it is also good fodder for cognitive scientists. Here we highlight a recent study of a neuropsychological patient who has lost her ability to read music, but not text, in the absence of any other musical deficit....

Developments in Clinical Neuropsychology: Implications for School Psychological Services

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Cleary, Michael J.; Scott, Albert J.

2011-01-01

Background: According to the 2000 Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health, a significant percentage of children and adolescents have emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to merit a mental health diagnosis. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act…

Collective memory: a perspective from (experimental) clinical psychology.

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Wessel, Ineke; Moulds, Michelle L

2008-04-01

This paper considers the concept of collective memory from an experimental clinical psychology perspective. Exploration of the term collective reveals a broad distinction between literatures that view collective memories as a property of groups (collectivistic memory) and those that regard these memories as a property of individuals who are, to a greater or lesser extent, an integral part of their social environment (social memory). First, we argue that the understanding of collectivistic memory phenomena may benefit from drawing parallels with current psychological models such as the self-memory system theory of individualistic autobiographical memory. Second, we suggest that the social memory literature may inform the study of trauma-related disorders. We argue that a factual focus induced by collaborative remembering may be beneficial to natural recovery in the immediate aftermath of trauma, and propose that shared remembering techniques may provide a useful addition to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Psychological treatment of patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy : Lessons from studies of chronic fatigue and whiplash

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hout, MSE; Wekking, EM; Berg, IJ; Deelman, BG

2003-01-01

Background. Chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE), which can result from long-term exposure to organic solvents, is characterized by problems of attention and memory, fatigue and affective symptoms. There is little experience with (neuro)psychological treatment in this patient group. We reviewed

The neuropsychology of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: a new analysis.

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Fineberg, Naomi A; Day, Grace A; de Koenigswarter, Nica; Reghunandanan, Samar; Kolli, Sangeetha; Jefferies-Sewell, Kiri; Hranov, Georgi; Laws, Keith R

2015-10-01

Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is characterized by perfectionism, need for control, and cognitive rigidity. Currently, little neuropsychological data exist on this condition, though emerging evidence does suggest that disorders marked by compulsivity, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are associated with impairment in cognitive flexibility and executive planning on neurocognitive tasks. The current study investigated the neurocognitive profile in a nonclinical community-based sample of people fulfilling diagnostic criteria for OCPD in the absence of major psychiatric comorbidity. Twenty-one nonclinical subjects who fulfilled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for OCPD were compared with 15 healthy controls on selected clinical and neurocognitive tasks. OCPD was measured using the Compulsive Personality Assessment Scale (CPAS). Participants completed tests from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery including tests of set shifting (Intra-Extra Dimensional [IED] Set Shifting) executive planning (Stockings of Cambridge [SOC]), and decision making (Cambridge Gamble Task [CGT]). The OCPD group made significantly more IED-ED shift errors and total shift errors, and also showed longer mean initial thinking time on the SOC at moderate levels of difficulty. No differences emerged on the CGT. Nonclinical cases of OCPD showed significant cognitive inflexibility coupled with executive planning deficits, whereas decision-making remained intact. This profile of impairment overlaps with that of OCD and implies that common neuropsychological changes affect individuals with these disorders.

[Neuropsychological subtypes of the inattention and hyperactivity syndrome].

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Etchepareborda, M C

1999-02-01

One of the commonest neurological development disorders is the syndrome of inattention with hyperactivity, ADHD. The complex neurobiological network which intervenes in paying attention permits us to maintain a basal state of alertness, to focalize and maintain attention for long periods, select the stimulus-signal required and analyze its components, and also to simultaneously carry out processes of input-output and performance (tutorial, controlling). Damage to the various systems participating in 'paying attention' leads to a syndrome of inattention, with or without hyperactivity. The distinction into clinical sub-types (combined, mainly lacking attention or mainly hyperactive and impulsive) gives a primary differentiation of the syndrome. However, from the neuropsychological point of view, some degree of heterogeneity within the groups which defines academic behaviour and conduct may also be recognized. This type of study permits a more specific neuro-cognitive and pharmacological approach. Some clinical characteristics of the syndrome of inattention improve with different drugs, such as the state of alterness (methylphenidate), impulsivity (pipamperone) and selective attention (tiapride). However, this treatment is symptomatic and in most cases is useful to accompany the ultimate biological development of the neocortical control mechanisms. A neuro-cognitive approach which permits acquisition of habits of control, functional strategies, sequential planning of activities and per- and post-functional surveillance is fundamental. The EFE programme for training executive functions is directed towards working with the damaged processing mechanisms in each neuropsychological subtype.

Neuropsychological Correlates of Hazard Perception in Older Adults.

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McInerney, Katalina; Suhr, Julie

2016-03-01

Hazard perception, the ability to identify and react to hazards while driving, is of growing importance in driving research, given its strong relationship to real word driving variables. Furthermore, although poor hazard perception is associated with novice drivers, recent research suggests that it declines with advanced age. In the present study, we examined the neuropsychological correlates of hazard perception in a healthy older adult sample. A total of 68 adults age 60 and older who showed no signs of dementia and were active drivers completed a battery of neuropsychological tests as well as a hazard perception task. Tests included the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, Wechsler Test of Adult Reading, Trail Making Test, Block Design, Useful Field of View, and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Color Word Interference Test. Hazard perception errors were related to visuospatial/constructional skills, processing speed, memory, and executive functioning skills, with a battery of tests across these domains accounting for 36.7% of the variance in hazard perception errors. Executive functioning, particularly Trail Making Test part B, emerged as a strong predictor of hazard perception ability. Consistent with prior work showing the relationship of neuropsychological performance to other measures of driving ability, neuropsychological performance was associated with hazard perception skill. Future studies should examine the relationship of neuropsychological changes in adults who are showing driving impairment and/or cognitive changes associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment or dementia.

It's time to Rework the Blueprints: Building a Science for Clinical Psychology

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Millon, Theodore

2003-01-01

The aims in this article are to connect the conceptual structure of clinical psychological science to what the author believes to be the omnipresent principles of evolution, use the evolutionary model to create a deductively derived clinical theory and taxonomy, link the theory and taxonomy to comprehensive and integrated approaches to assessment,…

Clinical, psychological and demographic parameters of body pain in multiple sclerosis

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Ghasem Salehpoor

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Body pain in multiple sclerosis (MS is a common phenomenon that can create or exacerbate by different parameters of clinical, psychological and demographic. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parameters of clinical (fatigue, clinical course, body mass index and duration, psychological (depression, anxiety and stress and demographic (age, gender, marital status and education characters with multiple sclerosis patient’s body pain. Methods: This cross-sectional study has been performed in the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Guilan Province and Imam Reza Specialized and Sub-specialized Clinic, Rasht City, Iran during June to February 2010. In this study 162 patients with MS were selected by consecutive sampling. We used the clinical and demographic variables inventory, body pain subscale of the health survey questionnaire, depression, anxiety and stress scale and fatigue severity scale along with identical analog-spring balance. The data were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient and point bi-serial, one-way analysis of variance, Gabriel test and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The findings showed that patients who scored 3 or higher in relapses experienced significantly more body pain than patients who scored 1-2 times of relapses (P= 0.031. In the meantime, significant differences were not found between the two groups of patients with a score of 3 or higher in relapses and non-relapse and between non-relapse patients and with a score 1-2 times of relapses in terms of body pain. Also, significant differences were not found in different groups of hospitalization in terms of body pain. However, anxiety and fatigue together could explain significantly 25% of the shared variance of body pain (F= 26.29, P≤ 0.0009. Conclusion: This study showed the effect of psychological and clinical factors on body pain exacerbation in MS patients. Therefore, it is necessary for clinicians to consider

Integrating Positive and Clinical Psychology: Viewing Human Functioning as Continua from Positive to Negative Can Benefit Clinical Assessment, Interventions and Understandings of Resilience

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Johnson, J; Wood, AM

2017-01-01

In this review we argue in favour of further integration between the disciplines of positive and clinical psychology. We argue that most of the constructs studied by both positive and clinical psychology exist on continua ranging from positive to negative (e.g., gratitude to ingratitude, anxiety to calmness) and so it is meaningless to speak of one or other field studying the “positive” or the “negative”. However, we highlight historical and cultural factors which have led positive and clinic...

Neuropsychological Function in Adolescent Girls with Conduct Disorder

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Pajer, Kathleen; Chung, Jessica; Leininger, Lisa; Wang, Wei; Gardner, William; Yeates, Keith

2008-01-01

A study was conducted to determine whether neuropsychological function is poorer in girls with conduct disorder (CD) than in girls without any psychiatric disorder. It is concluded that girls with CD had deficits in several areas of neuropsychological function.

Lack of political diversity and the framing of findings in personality and clinical psychology.

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Lilienfeld, Scott O

2015-01-01

I extend the arguments of Duarte et al. by examining the implications of political uniformity for the framing of findings in personality and clinical psychology. I argue that the one-sided framing of psychological research on political ideology has limited our understanding of the personality correlates of liberalism and conservatism.

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF CLINICAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY IN SPAIN: AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW

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José Antonio Carrobles

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In our country, there are currently two types of psychologist qualified to practise psychology in the health field: the Specialist Psychologist in Clinical Psychology (PEPC and the General Health Psychologist (PGS. These qualifications are legally regulated and their accreditation is obtained through two different programs of postgraduate training: the Residential Internship Program (PIR in the case of the PEPC; and the Master of General Health Psychology (MPGS in the case of the PGS. These programs are of different lengths (4 years for the PIR and 2 years for the MPGS and they are accessed after completion of the corresponding degree in Psychology. However, the objectives and the skills to be attained, as well as the content of the training programs, are actually very similar, in spite of the different linguistic denominations used to describe them. On the basis of the existing differences in the terminology and the duration of the programs, some Spanish associations (ANPIR, COP, AEPCP and AEN defend the position that there should be established between the two qualifications, in addition to a hierarchical structure, a clear boundary with respect to the functions that the two types of psychologist can perform (clinical and specialised versus health and general functions and of the sectors or contexts in which they can practise (public versus private. In our article, we refute these positions and the reasons on which they are based and we argue extensively in favour of an alternative proposal more in tune with the reality of the facts and with the European context professional accreditation in clinical psychology, in the sense of accepting the existence of the two independent qualifications of clinical psychologists (the PEPC and the PGS, with direct access to both from the degree in Psychology, and with equivalent competencies and professional functions, although with some limitations in the case of the PGS, mainly with respect to the

[The evaluation of psychological development in the dispensarios de lactantes (infant and toddler clinics) in Buenos Aires: medicine and psychology in Argentina, 1935-1942].

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Briolotti, Ana

2016-01-01

This article explores the medical use of techniques for psychological evaluation in the dispensarios de lactantes (infant and toddler clinics) in Buenos Aires within the framework of historical studies of psychology in Argentina. It analyzes the institutional environment in order to shed light on the framework of discourses within which the interest in controlling psychological development may be situated. It studies the tests used, the characteristics of application and the most significant results. It explores the vicissitudes of the professional field, in the light of which psychology was useful for consolidating the legitimacy of medical knowledge. It points out a divergence between this medical use of psychology and the production and circulation of psychological knowledge in academic and educational environments.

Psychological treatment of patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy: lessons from studies of chronic fatigue and whiplash

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hout, Moniek S. E.; Wekking, Ellie M.; Berg, Ina J.; Deelman, Betto G.

2003-01-01

Chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE), which can result from long-term exposure to organic solvents, is characterized by problems of attention and memory, fatigue and affective symptoms. There is little experience with (neuro)psychological treatment in this patient group. We reviewed treatment outcome

Some Clinically Useful Information that Neuropsychology Provides Patients, Carepartners, Neurologists, and Neurosurgeons About Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease

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Tröster, Alexander I

2017-01-01

Abstract Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective (but non-curative) treatment for some of the motor symptoms and treatment complications associated with dopaminergic agents in Parkinson's disease (PD). DBS can be done relatively safely and is associated with quality of life gains. In most DBS centers, neuropsychological evaluations are performed routinely before surgery, and sometimes after surgery. The purpose of such evaluation is not to decide solely on its results whether or not to offer DBS to a given candidate, but to provide the patient and treatment team with the best available information to make reasonable risk-benefit assessments. This review provides information relevant to the questions often asked by patients and their carepartners, neurologists, and neurosurgeons about neuropsychological outcomes of DBS, including neuropsychological adverse event rates, magnitude of cognitive changes, outcomes after unilateral versus bilateral surgery directed at various targets, impact of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on outcome, factors implicated in neurobehavioral outcomes, and safety of newer interventions or techniques such as asleep surgery and current steering. PMID:29077802

A case of chronic Wernicke’s Encephalopathy: a neuropsychological study.

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Erik eOudman

2014-05-01

Full Text Available A 54-year old woman was referred to our Korsakoff Center because of extensive cognitive problems following acute Wernicke's Encephalopathy (WE. She had a relatively short history of alcohol abuse and was found lying on the floor in her home by her son. After five days without treatment she was diagnosed with WE in a general hospital. During the course of the disease minimal change to the acute situation occurred, with chronic confusion, attention deficits and incoherent behavior symptoms most notable unlike classical Korsakoff's Syndrome (KS. Neuropsychological assessment after four and sixteen months after admission to the hospital revealed global cognitive decline, with striking impairments in attentional, executive and memory functions. The present case study suggests that the state of confusion and the neuropsychological symptoms in WE can become chronic in case of very late treatment. We therefore recommend that confused alcoholics should receive appropriate parenteral thiamine according to the current clinical standards.

A Case of Chronic Wernicke’s Encephalopathy: A Neuropsychological Study

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Oudman, Erik; Van der Stigchel, Stefan; Postma, Albert; Wijnia, Jan W.; Nijboer, Tanja C. W.

2014-01-01

A 54-year-old woman was referred to our Korsakoff Center because of extensive cognitive problems following acute Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE). She had a relatively short history of alcohol abuse and was found lying on the floor in her home by her son. After 5 days without treatment, she was diagnosed with WE in a general hospital. During the course of the disease, minimal change to the acute situation occurred, with chronic confusion, attention deficits, and incoherent behavior symptoms most notable unlike classical Korsakoff’s syndrome. Neuropsychological assessment after 4 and 16 months after admission to the hospital revealed global cognitive decline, with striking impairments in attentional, executive, and memory functions. The present case study suggests that the state of confusion and the neuropsychological symptoms in WE can become chronic in case of very late treatment. We therefore recommend that confused alcoholics should receive appropriate parenteral thiamine according to the current clinical standards. PMID:24904442

The Methodology of Syndrome Analysis within the Paradigm of “Qualitat ive Research” in Clinical Psychology

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Elena I. Pervichko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This article considers the potential for applying contemporary philosophical theories(which distinguish classical, nonclassical, and postnonclassical types of scientificrationality to the specification of theoretical methodological principles inthe study of clinical psychology. We prove that psychological syndrome analysis(developed by the Vygotsky–Luria–Zeigarnik school, taken as a system of principlesfor organizing research as well as for interpreting its results, conforms to theepistemological complexity of the object of study in clinical psychology, which isunderstood in the postnonclassical scientific view as a self-developing system.We present an example of the formation of a psychosomatic syndrome in 290patients with mitral-valve prolapse, applying methods of qualitative and statisticaldata analysis in a longitudinal clinical-psychological study. We prove that thesyndrome is system-defined and has a multilevel character, and that its structureis determined by several factors: the motivational factor (with the domination ofthe failure-avoidance motive and the unsatisfied self-approval need; the factor ofthe emotional-regulation disorders, represented by both excessive emotional repressionand lack of emotional control; and a psychophysiological factor. We arguethat a psychosomatic syndrome can be used as a means for approaching not onlydiagnostic but also prognostic tasks both in clinical psychology and in medicine.We conclude that the results of our empirical study, conducted within the frameworkof postnonclassical philosophy and using the methods of psychologicalsyndrome analysis, not only expand the scientific background on the nature of aparticular disease (mitral-valve prolapse but also pose further questions whoseinvestigation will broaden our view of the psychological mechanisms of psychosomatic-syndrome genesis.

Relationship between smell identification testing and the neuropsychological assessment of dementia in community-dwelling adults.

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Goette, William; Schmitt, Andrew; Clark, Avery

2017-11-28

The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) with neuropsychological tests and identify the utility of the UPSIT in detecting cognitive impairment. This research was an archival study of neuropsychological test results obtained from 70 clients (30 male/40 female) of a community-based memory clinic. The sample had an average age of 69.7 (SD = 9.7) and education of 14.6 (SD = 2.8) years. Hypotheses were tested using correlations, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and logistic regression. The UPSIT showed significant, weak to moderate correlations with neuropsychological tests. The UPSIT raw score correlated significantly with all but one cognitive ability domain. The UPSIT T-score was significantly correlated with all cognitive domains. Obtained areas under the ROC curve (AUC) for the UPSIT ranged from .60 to .87. The AUCs of the UPSIT did not differ significantly from verbal semantic fluency tests, but the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Total Scale and Delayed Memory index tended to produce larger AUCs than the UPSIT. Results from step-wise logistic regressions suggest that the UPSIT raw score provides unique information beyond its relationship to age. Olfaction relates broadly to cognitive ability and may be sensitive to early symptoms of cognitive decline. Further research is needed to explore the relationships between smell identification tests and neuropsychological assessment.

Neuropsychological dysfunction in patients suffering from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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Crews, W. David; Jefferson, Angela L.; Bolduc, Tara; Elliott, Jennifer B.; Ferro, Nikola M.; Broshek, Donna K.; Barth, Jeffrey T.; Robbins, Mark K.

2009-01-01

Few studies have examined the neuropsychological sequelae associated with end-stage pulmonary disease. Neuropsychological data are presented for 47 patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were being evaluated as potential candidates for lung transplantation. Although patients exhibited a diversity of neurocognitive deficits, their highest frequencies of impairment were found on the Selective Reminding Test (SRT). Specifically, over 50% of the patients completing the SRT exhibited impaired immediate free recall and consistent long-term retrieval deficits, while more than 44% of these individuals displayed deficient long-term retrieval. Deficient SRT long-term storage strategies, cued recall, and delayed recall were exhibited by between 26% and 35% of these patients, while more than 32% of this sample displayed elevated numbers of intrusion errors. Over 31% of the patients completing the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) failed to achieve the expected number of categories on this measure, while more than 23% of these individuals demonstrated elevated numbers of perseverative errors and total errors. Clinically notable frequencies of impairment (greater than 20% of the sample) were also found on the Trail Making Test (TMT): Part B and the Wechsler Memory Scale-R (WMS-R) Visual Reproduction II subtest. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) personality assessments indicated that patients were experiencing a diversity of somatic complaints and that they may have been functioning at a reduced level of efficiency. These findings are discussed in light of patients’ end-stage COPD and factors possibly contributing to their neuropsychological test performances. Implications for clinical practice and future research are also included. PMID:14589783

[Presentation of the Psycho-Cardiological schedule and convergence levels analyses among the psycho-cardiological screening and the psychological assessment].

Science.gov (United States)

Pierobon, Antonia; Callegari, Simona; Giardini, Anna; Ferrari, Marina; Olmetti, Francesca; Corbellini, Daniela; Febo, Oreste; Majani, Giuseppina

2012-06-01

In Cardiovascular Rehabilitation the increasing inpatients complexity suggests the necessity to develop screening methods which allow to identify those patients that require a psychological intervention. A Psycho-Cardiological Schedule (PCS) was developed with the aim of detecting the critical situation indicators or the presence of psychological, social and cognitive problems. The PCS, compiled by a nurse or cardiologist in collaboration with a psychologist, allows to assess the need for a deeper psychological examination, clinical and/or with tests. Aim of the present study is to identify the convergence levels among the observational and anamnestic data of the PCS collected by a nurse and the clinical and/or test data of the psychological deeper assessment. Among the 87 patients recruited in January-February 2010, 28 (aged 53.5 +/- 12.6, M = 20, F = 8) fulfilled the criteria for a deeper psychological examination: age psychological/behavioural problems, neuropsychological disorders, low adherence to prescriptions, inadequate disease knowledge/representation. From data comparisons emerged convergence levels with 100% concordance as to smoke habits and problems in social-family support. High convergence levels also resulted as to emotional and/or behavioural problems (92.8%) and inadequate adherence to prescriptions (89.3%). Lower levels of concordance (82.1%) emerged when considering disease knowledge/representation, issues specifically linked to cognition and subjective illness experience, not directly detectable from behaviour. our data confirm the synergic efficacy of the two evaluations: the Psycho-Cardiological Schedule reliably identifies the problematic macro-categories, mainly if they are characterized by behavioural indicators, which facilitate the detection. The psychological approach appears more suitable for better specifing macro-categories characteristics and for detecting critical aspects not overt but not less important, providing therefore advice

Forensic neuropsychology and expert witness testimony: An overview of forensic practice.

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Leonard, Elizabeth L

2015-01-01

Neuropsychologists are frequently asked to serve as expert witnesses in an increasing number of legal contexts for civil and criminal proceedings. The skills required to practice forensic neuropsychology expand upon the knowledge, skills, and abilities developed by clinical neuropsychologists. Forensic neuropsychologists acquire expertise in understanding the roles and various functions of the legal system, as well as their role in addressing psycholegal questions to assist fact finders in making legal decisions. The required skills and the unique circumstances for clinical neuropsychologists pursing forensic work are reviewed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SPECT neuroimaging and neuropsychological functions in different stages of Parkinson's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschali, Anna; Lakiotis, Velissarios; Vassilakos, Pavlos; Messinis, Lambros; Kargiotis, Odysseas; Papathanasopoulos, Panagiotis; Kefalopoulou, Zinovia; Constantoyannis, Costantinos

2010-01-01

The present study investigated differences and associations between cortical perfusion, nigrostriatal dopamine pathway and neuropsychological functions in different stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). We recruited 53 non-demented PD patients divided into four groups according to the Hoehn and Yahr (HY) staging system and 20 healthy controls who were used in the comparison of the neuropsychological findings. Each patient underwent two separate brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies (perfusion and dopamine transporter binding) as well as neuropsychological evaluation. Perfusion images of each patient were quantified and compared with a normative database provided by the NeuroGam software manufacturers. Mean values obtained from the cortical areas and neuropsychological measures in the different groups were also compared by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for disease duration and educational level. We found cognitive deficits especially in the late PD stages (HY 3, 4 and 5) compared to the early stages (HY 1 and 2) and associations between cognitive decrements and cortical perfusion deterioration mainly in the frontal and posterior cortical areas. Compared with controls, PD patients showed impairments of cognition and cerebral perfusion that increased with clinical severity. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between the performance on the phonemic fluency task and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the left frontal lobe. Dopamine transporter binding in the left caudate nucleus significantly correlated with blood flow in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), but not with measures of executive functions. There are significant cognitive and perfusion deficits associated with PD progression, implying a multifactorial neurodegeneration process apart from dopamine depletion in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). (orig.)

Attitudes toward Substance Abuse Clients: An Empirical Study of Clinical Psychology Trainees.

Science.gov (United States)

Mundon, Chandra R; Anderson, Melissa L; Najavits, Lisa M

2015-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) and its frequent comorbidity with mental illness, individuals with SUD are less likely to receive effective SUD treatment from mental health practitioners than SUD counselors. Limited competence and interest in treating this clinical population are likely influenced by a lack of formal training in SUD treatment. Using a factorial survey-vignette design that included three clinical vignettes and a supplementary survey instrument, we investigated whether clinical psychology doctoral students differ in their level of negative emotional reactions toward clients with SUD versus major depressive disorder (MDD); whether they differ in their attributions for SUD versus MDD; and how their negative emotional reactions and attributions impact their interest in pursuing SUD clinical work. Participants were 155 clinical psychology graduate-level doctoral students (72% female). Participants endorsed more negative emotional reactions toward clients with SUD than toward clients with MDD. They were also more likely to identify poor willpower as the cause for SUD than for MDD. More than a third reported interest in working with SUD populations. Highest levels of interest were associated with prior professional and personal experience with SUD, four to six years of clinical experience, and postmodern theoretical orientation.

Self-regulation method: psychological, physiological and clinical considerations. An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikemi, A; Tomita, S; Kuroda, M; Hayashida, Y; Ikemi, Y

1986-01-01

Body-oriented therapies as relaxation training and certain forms of meditation are gaining popularity in the treatment and prevention of psychosomatic disorders. In this paper, a new method of self-control called self-regulation method (SRM), derived from autogenic training and Zen meditation, is presented. The technique of SRM is introduced. Secondly, physiological studies on SRM using skin temperature, galvanic skin response, and cortical evoked potentials are presented. Thirdly, the results of psychological tests conducted on SRM are presented. These psycho-physiological studies suggest that SRM may elicit a state of 'relaxed alertness'. Fourthly, clinical applications of SRM are discussed, and 3 cases are presented. Finally, SRM is discussed in relation to the psychology and physiology of 'relaxed alertness'.

Virtual reality and neuropsychology: upgrading the current tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultheis, Maria T; Himelstein, Jessica; Rizzo, Albert A

2002-10-01

Virtual reality (VR) is an evolving technology that has been applied in various aspects of medicine, including the treatment of phobia disorders, pain distraction interventions, surgical training, and medical education. These applications have served to demonstrate the various assets offered through the use of VR. To provide a background and rationale for the application of VR to neuropsychological assessment. A brief introduction to VR technology and a review of current ongoing neuropsychological research that integrates the use of this technology. VR offers numerous assets that may enhance current neuropsychological assessment protocols and address many of the limitations faced by our traditional methods.

Topical Review: Unique Contributions of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Pediatric Psychology Research.

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Jensen, Chad D; Duraccio, Kara M; Carbine, Kaylie M; Kirwan, C Brock

2016-03-01

This review aims to provide a brief introduction of the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods in pediatric psychology research, describe several exemplar studies that highlight the unique benefits of MRI techniques for pediatric psychology research, and detail methods for addressing several challenges inherent to pediatric MRI research. Literature review. Numerous useful applications of MRI research in pediatric psychology have been illustrated in published research. MRI methods yield information that cannot be obtained using neuropsychological or behavioral measures. Using MRI in pediatric psychology research may facilitate examination of neural structures and processes that underlie health behaviors. Challenges inherent to conducting MRI research with pediatric research participants (e.g., head movement) may be addressed using evidence-based strategies. We encourage pediatric psychology researchers to consider adopting MRI techniques to answer research questions relevant to pediatric health and illness. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Towards reporting standards for neuropsychological study results: A proposal to minimize communication errors with standardized qualitative descriptors for normalized test scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenberg, Mike R; Rum, Ruba S

2017-11-01

Rapid, clear and efficient communication of neuropsychological results is essential to benefit patient care. Errors in communication are a lead cause of medical errors; nevertheless, there remains a lack of consistency in how neuropsychological scores are communicated. A major limitation in the communication of neuropsychological results is the inconsistent use of qualitative descriptors for standardized test scores and the use of vague terminology. PubMed search from 1 Jan 2007 to 1 Aug 2016 to identify guidelines or consensus statements for the description and reporting of qualitative terms to communicate neuropsychological test scores was conducted. The review found the use of confusing and overlapping terms to describe various ranges of percentile standardized test scores. In response, we propose a simplified set of qualitative descriptors for normalized test scores (Q-Simple) as a means to reduce errors in communicating test results. The Q-Simple qualitative terms are: 'very superior', 'superior', 'high average', 'average', 'low average', 'borderline' and 'abnormal/impaired'. A case example illustrates the proposed Q-Simple qualitative classification system to communicate neuropsychological results for neurosurgical planning. The Q-Simple qualitative descriptor system is aimed as a means to improve and standardize communication of standardized neuropsychological test scores. Research are needed to further evaluate neuropsychological communication errors. Conveying the clinical implications of neuropsychological results in a manner that minimizes risk for communication errors is a quintessential component of evidence-based practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Suspected Alzheimer's disease. Selection of outpatients for neuropsychological assessment].

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Wolf, S A; Henry, M; Deike, R; Ebert, A D; Wallesch, C-W

2008-04-01

Incipient Alzheimer's disease (AD) is frequently suspected by neurologists and psychiatrists, but diagnosis is difficult to establish. The aim of this report was to analyse to what extent suspicion is confirmed by a comprehensive neuropsychological examination intended to distinguish different types of dementia. Descriptive data analysis was used for investigating the differential diagnoses of 47 outpatients with suspected AD referred to a department of neuropsychology by physicians in private practice. Data analysis was based upon the NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria of AD. Only 38% of the outpatients examined with suspected AD met the NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria for AD or mixed dementia from a neuropsychological point of view, whereas 22% met criteria for other types of dementia. The remaining patients met criteria for distinct differential diagnoses (23%) or lacked pathological findings in neuropsychological functions (17%). Neuropsychology is an essential part in the differential diagnosis of mild to moderate dementias. It can aid in differential therapeutic considerations concerning the treatment of dementia, for example in selecting appropriate treatments or avoiding expensive but inappropriate ones.

Neuropsychological Profile Related with Executive Function of Chinese Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Neuropsychological Measures and Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version.

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Zhang, Hui-Feng; Shuai, Lan; Zhang, Jin-Song; Wang, Yu-Feng; Lu, Teng-Fei; Tan, Xin; Pan, Jing-Xue; Shen, Li-Xiao

2018-03-20

Previous studies have found that schoolchildren with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed difficulties in neuropsychological function. This study aimed to assess neuropsychological function in Chinese preschoolers with ADHD using broad neuropsychological measures and rating scales and to test whether the pattern and severity of neuropsychological weakness differed among ADHD presentations in preschool children. The 226 preschoolers (163 with ADHD and 63 controls) with the age of 4-5 years were included and assessed using the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) and a series of tests to investigate neuropsychological function. Preschoolers with ADHD showed higher scores in all domains of the BRIEF-P (inhibition: 30.64 ± 5.78 vs.20.69 ± 3.86, P ADHD subtypes, all ADHD presentations had higher scores in several domains of the BRIEF-P (P ADHD-combined symptoms (ADHD-C) group had the poorest ratings on inhibition and the ability to Plan/Organize. For neuropsychological measures, the results suggested that the ADHD-C group had poorer performances than the ADHD-predominantly inattentive symptoms (ADHD-I) group on Statue tasks (F = 7.34, η 2 = 0.12, P ADHD-hyperactive/impulsive symptoms group had significantly poorer performances compared to the ADHD-C group in the Block Construction task (F = 4.89, η 2 = 0.067, P = 0.003). However, no significant group differences were found between the ADHD-I group and normal control. Based on the combined evaluation of performance-based neuropsychological tests and the BRIEF-P, preschoolers with ADHD show difficulties of neuropsychological function in many aspects.

A case study of the neuropsychological outcomes following microsurgery, conventional radiotherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy for an adult's recurrent craniopharyngioma.

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Preece, David; Allan, Alfred; Becerra, Rodrigo

2016-01-01

To examine the neuropsychological outcomes for an adult patient, 2 years after receiving microsurgery and conventional radiotherapy for a recurrent craniopharyngioma; and the impact of a further intervention, stereotactic radiotherapy, on this level of neuropsychological functioning. JD, a 30 year old male whose recurrent craniopharyngioma had 2 years earlier been treated with two operations and conventional radiotherapy. JD was assessed (using standardized clinical tests) before and after a course of stereotactic radiotherapy. Prior to stereotactic radiotherapy (and 2 years after microsurgery and conventional radiotherapy) JD's IQ was intact, but considerable impairments were present in executive functioning, memory, theory of mind and processing speed. Fifteen months after stereotactic radiotherapy, all neuropsychological domains remained largely static or improved, supporting the utility of this treatment option in the neuropsychological domain. However, deficits in executive functioning, memory and processing speed remained. These findings suggest that, even after multiple treatments, substantial cognitive impairments can be present in an adult patient with a recurrent craniopharyngioma. This profile of deficits underlines the inadequacy of relying purely on IQ as a marker for cognitive health in this population and emphasizes the need to include neuropsychological impairments as a focus of rehabilitation with these patients.

The clinical differential approach of Sante De Sanctis in Italian "scientific" psychology.

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Lombardo, Giovanni Pietro; Cicciola, Elisabetta

2006-01-01

Sante De Sanctis, a psychiatrist and psychologist, is one of the most representative figures of Italian "scientific" psychology. He is considered one of the founders of the discipline as well as one of its main protagonists in the years between the two World Wars. Both with his extensive scientific productions (which include more than three hundred works) and with his uninterrupted institutional activity, he has left his significant mark on the history of Italian psychology. He was the first professor of Experimental Psychology and was internationally known: some of his works have been published in French, Swiss, American, German, Scandinavian, and English journals, and some of his volumes have been translated into English and German. Together with the other psychologists of the second generation (Binet, Külpe, Münsterberg, Stern, Claparède, Ebbinghaus), he was the Italian psychologist who decided to enrich the classical paradigm of Wundt's physiological psychology, by developing during the twentieth century the program of methodological and epistemological enlargement of the discipline. In his fundamental treatise Psicologia Sperimentale, written in 1929-30, a clear modern conception of psychology emerged: it jointly included both the generalist aspect (with some studies on psychophysical proportionality, thought mimicry, dreams, attention, emotions, etc.) and the applicative one, which included psychopathology, labor psychology, educational psychology, and criminal psychology, all seen in a general experimental framework. The present paper aims precisely to highlight the originality of De Sanctis' experimentalism that applied the differential clinical approach to the discipline of psychology, causing it for the first time in Italy to be seen in a unitary way as both general and applied psychology.

Test of inscribed description in the Alzheimer's disease: correlation of neuro-psychology and of cerebral sanguinary rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houzard, C.; Croisile, B.; Philippon, B.; Hibert, O.; Gogoleva, S.M.; Itti, R.; Cinotti, L.; Wertheimer, H.P.

1997-01-01

The alteration of the written description of an image scene constitutes an early and sensible indicator in diagnosing the Alzheimer's disease (AD). Measurements of cerebral blood rates (CBR) by SPECT show characteristic regional anomalies. We have studied correlations between the neuro-psychological tests (NT), parameters of description (description of the image of a thief of crackers) and CBR in patients afflicted by AD. Ten patients afflicted by AD of slow onset (MMSE 20.2± 5.1) were subject to the following NTs: MMSE, Wounded A, Battery of Aphasia, BNT, verbal fluence, gesticulative practice, direct and inversion span, copy of a figure, immediate recall of a figure, immediate recall of a story. The description variables were the length of texts (words, phrases), the items of information, the grammatical, semantic and orthographic errors. The relative variations of CBR were obtained after injection by HMPAO - 99m Tc. The indices of asymmetry were calculated by the method of the regions of interest and the correlations were calculated between the NTs, description variables and L/R asymmetry by SPECT. For the temporal lobes the correlations are significant with: Battery of Aphasia and BNT (p < 0.01), and recall of a story (p < 0.05); in the anterior frontal lobes with: MMSE and direct span (p < 0.05); in the posterior frontal lobes with: Battery of Aphasia (p < 0.05), BNT and recall of a story (p < 0.01). For writing, the grammatical errors are correlated with the anterior frontal asymmetries (p < 0.03); the semantic errors with the anterior and posterior frontal lobes (p < 0.02) and with the temporal lobes (p < 0.05). Our results show a correlations of the frontal and temporal asymmetries with the early degradation of the scores of written semantic errors and the oral tests of language. The grammatical errors appearing later and in severe forms of AD as the attention abilities are connected only to anterior frontal asymmetries. Different functional networks could

Designing pedagogy incorporating executive function.

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Wasserman, Theodore

2013-01-01

The National Academy of Neuropsychology defines clinical neuropsychology as "a sub-field of psychology concerned with the applied science of brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychologists use this knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan with neurological, medical, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, as well as other cognitive and learning disorders" (National Academy of Neuropsychology, 2011 ). Pediatric neuropsychologists have long been concerned about another area of functionality, making their recommendations educationally relevant. This article describes accommodated metacognitive instruction, a pedagogy based on cognitive neuropsychological principles of learning and used to instruct college faculty on a methodology for teaching in all-inclusive environments.

Neuropsychological Training of Attention Improves MS-Related Fatigue: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study.

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Flachenecker, Peter; Meissner, Heike; Frey, Rebecca; Guldin, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Attentional deficits may be pathophysiologically relevant in MS-associated fatigue. Thirty MS patients with fatigue and attentional deficits in neuropsychological testing participated in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The intervention group (IG; n = 14) was treated with 10 h of computerized, specific neuropsychological training performing simple reaction time tasks, whereas the control group (CG; n = 16) also runs through computerized, but unspecific neuropsychological training using tasks without time components. The subjective feeling of fatigue was assessed with the Würzburg Fatigue Inventory for Multiple Sclerosis (WEIMuS) questionnaire, and testing of alertness was used as an objective measure at baseline and after the 2-week study period. Reaction times of alertness were significantly decreased in IG but not CG after 2 weeks. The subjective feeling of fatigue was ameliorated in both groups but more pronounced in IG. Effect sizes were below 0.7 for alertness and WEIMuS scores in CG but large and clinically meaningful in IG for both measures. Our pilot study suggests that neuropsychological training of attention may improve both measures of fatigue. The parallel improvement of attentional deficits and subjective fatigue after specific neuropsychological training support previous findings that fatigue may be at least partially caused by impaired intensity of attention. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Genetics and neuropsychology: A merger whose time has come.

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Kremen, William S; Panizzon, Matthew S; Cannon, Tyrone D

2016-01-01

Genetics and neuropsychology have historically been 2 rather distant and unrelated fields. With the very rapid advances that have been taking place in genetics, research and treatment of disorders of cognition in the 21st century are likely to be increasingly informed by individual differences in genetics and epigenetics. Although neuropsychologists are not expected to become geneticists, it is our view that increased training in genetics should become more central to training in neuropsychology. This relationship should not be unidirectional. Here we note ways in which an understanding of genetics and epigenetics can inform neuropsychology. On the other hand, given the complexity of cognitive phenotypes, neuropsychology can also play a valuable role in informing and refining genetic studies. Greater integration of the 2 should advance both fields. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Influence of Age and Education on Neuropsychological Tests in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Influence of Age and Education on Neuropsychological Tests in Zambia. ... The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of age, education and reading ability on neuropsychological tests in Zambia. ... AJOL African Journals Online.

A cross-sectional examination of psychological distress, positive mental health and their predictors in medical students in their clinical clerkships

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Inge van Dijk

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical students can experience the transition from theory to clinical clerkships as stressful. Scientific literature on the mental health of clinical clerkship students is scarce and mental health is usually defined as absence of psychological distress without assessing psychological, emotional and social wellbeing, together called ‘positive mental health’. This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence of psychological distress and positive mental health and explores possible predictors in a Dutch sample of clinical clerkship students. Methods Fourth-year medical students in their first year of clinical clerkships were invited to complete an online questionnaire assessing demographics, psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, positive mental health (Mental Health Continuum- SF, dysfunctional cognitions (Irrational Beliefs Inventory and dispositional mindfulness skills (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore relationships between psychological distress, positive mental health (dependent variables and demographics, dysfunctional cognitions and dispositional mindfulness skills (predictors. Results Of 454 eligible students, 406 (89% completed the assessment of whom 21% scored in the clinical range of psychological distress and 41% reported a flourishing mental health. These proportions partially overlap each other. Female students reported a significantly higher mean level of psychological distress than males. In the regression analysis the strongest predictors of psychological distress were ‘acting with awareness’ (negative and ‘worrying’ (positive. Strongest predictors of positive mental health were ‘problem avoidance’ (negative and ‘emotional irresponsibility’ (negative. Conclusions The prevalence of psychopathology in our sample of Dutch clinical clerkship students is slightly higher than in the general population. Our results support

A cross-sectional examination of psychological distress, positive mental health and their predictors in medical students in their clinical clerkships.

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van Dijk, Inge; Lucassen, Peter L B J; van Weel, Chris; Speckens, Anne E M

2017-11-17

Medical students can experience the transition from theory to clinical clerkships as stressful. Scientific literature on the mental health of clinical clerkship students is scarce and mental health is usually defined as absence of psychological distress without assessing psychological, emotional and social wellbeing, together called 'positive mental health'. This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence of psychological distress and positive mental health and explores possible predictors in a Dutch sample of clinical clerkship students. Fourth-year medical students in their first year of clinical clerkships were invited to complete an online questionnaire assessing demographics, psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory), positive mental health (Mental Health Continuum- SF), dysfunctional cognitions (Irrational Beliefs Inventory) and dispositional mindfulness skills (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore relationships between psychological distress, positive mental health (dependent variables) and demographics, dysfunctional cognitions and dispositional mindfulness skills (predictors). Of 454 eligible students, 406 (89%) completed the assessment of whom 21% scored in the clinical range of psychological distress and 41% reported a flourishing mental health. These proportions partially overlap each other. Female students reported a significantly higher mean level of psychological distress than males. In the regression analysis the strongest predictors of psychological distress were 'acting with awareness' (negative) and 'worrying' (positive). Strongest predictors of positive mental health were 'problem avoidance' (negative) and 'emotional irresponsibility' (negative). The prevalence of psychopathology in our sample of Dutch clinical clerkship students is slightly higher than in the general population. Our results support conclusions of previous research that psychological distress and positive mental

Neuropsychological evaluation of children after ischemic cerebrovascular disease

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Guimarães Inês Elcione

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to associate neuropsychological evaluation with neuroimaging results in children with cerebral tomography indicating ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD. Neuroimaging, neurological exams and neuropsychological instruments were used to evaluate five children. The study revealed that the cognitive and perceptive skills in two children were normal and motor sequele in four cases. The rhythm, visual and speech receptive skills remained unchanged. In four cases the SPECT exam showed regions with hypoperfusion and in four cases the EEG was normal. Neuropsychological, neurological and image indication some degree of sequele demonstrating the importance of follow up of children who had suffered cerebrovascular disease.

Side-of-onset of Parkinson's disease in relation to neuropsychological measures.

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Modestino, Edward J; Amenechi, Chioma; Reinhofer, AnnaMarie; O'Toole, Patrick

2017-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) usually emerges with a unilateral side-of-onset (left-onset: LOPD; right-onset: ROPD; Marinus & van Hilten, 2015) due to an asymmetrical degeneration of striatal dopaminergic neurons (Donnemiller et al., Brain , 135, 2012, 3348). This has led to a body of research exploring the cognitive, neuropsychological, and clinical differences between LOPD and ROPD (e.g., Verreyt et al., Neuropsychology Review , 21, 2011, 405). Thirty ROPD and 14 LOPD cases were drawn from a Boston clinic specializing in PD. Various cognitive and neuropsychological measures were used in an attempt to discover if there were indeed any differences between LOPD and ROPD in this cohort. For LOPD, duration of illness was found to be significantly greater than that of ROPD. However, further testing was able to confirm that despite this difference, it was not the cause of the other significant differences found. Furthermore, this increased duration was consistent with a previous study (Munhoz et al., Parkinsonism and Related Disorders , 19, 2013, 77). Performance on the Digit Span Backward (DSB) was found to be significantly poorer in LOPD than ROPD, suggesting compromised executive function in LOPD. Additionally, LOPD had significantly greater anxiety on the DASS Anxiety scales than ROPD. However, unlike Foster et al ( Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology , 23, 2010, 4), this increased anxiety could not account for the poorer performance on the DSB for LOPD. Finally, ROPD had significantly greater magical ideation than LOPD, which can be explained by the theory put forth by Brugger and Graves ( European Archives of Psychiatry , 247, 1997, 55). Clear and significant differences between LOPD and ROPD were found within our cohort. LOPD showed greater impairment of working memory, greater anxiety, and greater duration of illness-all independent of one another; whereas, those with ROPD had greater magical ideation, also independent of any other variables.

How Neuropsychology Informs Our Understanding of Developmental Disorders

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Pennington, Bruce F.

2009-01-01

This review includes 1) an explanation of what neuropsychology is, 2) a brief history of how developmental cognitive neuroscience emerged from earlier neuropsychological approaches to understanding atypical development, 3) three recent examples that illustrate the benefits of this approach, 4) issues and challenges this approach must face, and 5)…

Neuropsychological test performance and prediction of functional capacities among Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients with dementia.

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Loewenstein, D A; Rubert, M P; Argüelles, T; Duara, R

1995-03-01

Neuropsychological measures have been widely used by clinicians to assist them in making judgments regarding a cognitively impaired patient's ability to independently perform important activities of daily living. However, important questions have been raised concerning the degree to which neuropsychological instruments can predict a broad array of specific functional capacities required in the home environment. In the present study, we examined 127 English-speaking and 56 Spanish-speaking patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and determined the extent to which various neuropsychological measures and demographic variables were predictive of performance on functional measures administered within the clinical setting. Among English-speaking AD patients, Block Design and Digit-Span of the WAIS-R, as well as tests of language were among the strongest predictors of functional performance. For Spanish-speakers, Block Design, The Mini-Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) and Digit Span had the optimal predictive power. When stepwise regression was conducted on the entire sample of 183 subjects, ethnicity emerged as a statistically significant predictor variable on one of the seven functional tests (writing a check). Despite the predictive power of several of the neuropsychological measures for both groups, most of the variability in objective functional performance could not be explained in our regression models. As a result, it would appear prudent to include functional measures as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation for dementia.

[Clinical, neurophysiological and psychological characteristics of neurosis in patients with panic disorders].

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Tuter, N V

2008-01-01

Forty-eight patients with panic disorders (PD), aged 31,5 years, 17 men, 31 women, were studied. The results were analyzed in comparison to a control group which comprised 16 healthy people, 6 men, 10 women, mean age 29,5 years. A traditional clinical approach, including somatic, neurologic and psychiatric examination, was used in the study. Also, a neurophysiological study using compression and spectral analyses, EEG, cognitive evoked potentials, skin evoked potentials, was conducted. A psychological examination included assessment of personality traits (Cattell's test), MMPI personality profile, mechanisms of psychological defense, the "Life style index" and Sondy test. A decrease of - and -rhythms was found that implied the reduction of activation processes. The psychological data mirror as common signs characteristic of all PD, as well as psychological features characteristic of neurotic disorders. The results obtained confirm the heterogeneity of PD in nosological aspect that demands using differential approach to the problems of their diagnostics and treatment.

Preliminary effects of pagoclone, a partial GABAA agonist, on neuropsychological performance

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Angela F Caveney

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Angela F Caveney1, Bruno Giordani1, George M Haig21Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 2Neurosciences Development, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USAAbstract: Pagoclone is a novel cyclopyrrolone that acts as a partial GABAA receptor agonist. Preclinical studies suggest that pagoclone may have clinical utility as an anxiolytic agent, as well as a reduced incidence of side-effects. The present study was conducted to determine whether pagoclone would affect healthy individuals’ performances on neuropsychological measures as a function of dose within the projected therapeutic range. Twelve healthy adult subjects were randomly assigned to dosage groups in a 3-way crossover study. Participants were administered neuropsychological measures six hours following dosing on Day 1 and Day 6 of administration of the drug. Dose effects were noted on measures of alertness, learning, and memory and movement time. Significant effects were also noted on measures of alertness, learning and memory, information processing and psychomotor speed. Overall, the results of this small, preliminary study do not support a finding of behavioral toxicity for these doses of pagoclone. Rather, a pattern was found of transient and mild negative effects on learning and memory scores at the highest dose administered, though these changes were small and no longer evident by the sixth day of use.Keywords: pagoclone, cyclopyrrolone, neuropsychological, memory, generalized anxiety disorder

Acute Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress After Exposure to a Deployment-Related Explosive Blast.

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Baker, Monty T; Moring, John C; Hale, Willie J; Mintz, Jim; Young-McCaughan, Stacey; Bryant, Richard A; Broshek, Donna K; Barth, Jeffrey T; Villarreal, Robert; Lancaster, Cynthia L; Malach, Steffany L; Lara-Ruiz, Jose M; Isler, William; Peterson, Alan L

2018-05-18

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two of the signature injuries in military service members who have been exposed to explosive blasts during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Acute stress disorder (ASD), which occurs within 2-30 d after trauma exposure, is a more immediate psychological reaction predictive of the later development of PTSD. Most previous studies have evaluated service members after their return from deployment, which is often months or years after the initial blast exposure. The current study is the first large study to collect psychological and neuropsychological data from active duty service members within a few days after blast exposure. Recruitment for blast-injured TBI patients occurred at the Air Force Theater Hospital, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Patients were referred from across the combat theater and evaluated as part of routine clinical assessment of psychiatric and neuropsychological symptoms after exposure to an explosive blast. Four measures of neuropsychological functioning were used: the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE); the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS); the Headminder Cognitive Stability Index (CSI); and the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, Version 4.0 (ANAM4). Three measures of combat exposure and psychological functioning were used: the Combat Experiences Scale (CES); the PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M); and the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS). Assessments were completed by a deployed clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, or mental health technician. A total of 894 patients were evaluated. Data from 93 patients were removed from the data set for analysis because they experienced a head injury due to an event that was not an explosive blast (n = 84) or they were only assessed for psychiatric symptoms (n = 9). This resulted in a total of 801 blast-exposed patients for data

Criterion and convergent validity of the Montreal cognitive assessment with screening and standardized neuropsychological testing.

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Lam, Benjamin; Middleton, Laura E; Masellis, Mario; Stuss, Donald T; Harry, Robin D; Kiss, Alex; Black, Sandra E

2013-12-01

To compare the validity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with the criterion standard of standardized neuropsychological testing and to compare the convergent validity of the MoCA with that of existing screening tools and global measures of cognition. Cross-sectional observational study. Tertiary care hospital-based cognitive neurology subspecialty clinic. A convenience sample of 107 individuals with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD, n=75) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n=32) from the Sunnybrook Dementia Study. In addition to the MoCA, all participants completed the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS), and detailed neuropsychological testing. Convergent validity was supported, with MoCA scores correlating well with the MMSE (correlation coefficient (r)=0.66, Pvalidity was supported, with MoCA subscores according to cognitive domain correlating well with analogous neuropsychological tests and, in the case of memory (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.86), executive (AUC=0.79), and visuospatial function (AUC=0.79), being reasonably sensitive to impairment in those domains. The MoCA is a valid assessment of cognition that shows good agreement with existing screening tools and global measures (convergent validity) and was superior to the MMSE in this regard. The MoCA domain-specific subscores align with performance on more-detailed neuropsychological tests, suggesting not only good criterion validity for the MoCA, but also that it may be useful in guiding further neuropsychological testing. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

Confidence intervals for effect sizes: compliance and clinical significance in the Journal of Consulting and clinical Psychology.

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Odgaard, Eric C; Fowler, Robert L

2010-06-01

In 2005, the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JCCP) became the first American Psychological Association (APA) journal to require statistical measures of clinical significance, plus effect sizes (ESs) and associated confidence intervals (CIs), for primary outcomes (La Greca, 2005). As this represents the single largest editorial effort to improve statistical reporting practices in any APA journal in at least a decade, in this article we investigate the efficacy of that change. All intervention studies published in JCCP in 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008 were reviewed. Each article was coded for method of clinical significance, type of ES, and type of associated CI, broken down by statistical test (F, t, chi-square, r/R(2), and multivariate modeling). By 2008, clinical significance compliance was 75% (up from 31%), with 94% of studies reporting some measure of ES (reporting improved for individual statistical tests ranging from eta(2) = .05 to .17, with reasonable CIs). Reporting of CIs for ESs also improved, although only to 40%. Also, the vast majority of reported CIs used approximations, which become progressively less accurate for smaller sample sizes and larger ESs (cf. Algina & Kessleman, 2003). Changes are near asymptote for ESs and clinical significance, but CIs lag behind. As CIs for ESs are required for primary outcomes, we show how to compute CIs for the vast majority of ESs reported in JCCP, with an example of how to use CIs for ESs as a method to assess clinical significance.

Accuracy of Korean-Mini-Mental Status Examination Based on Seoul Neuro-Psychological Screening Battery II Results.

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Kang, In-Woong; Beom, In-Gyu; Cho, Ji-Yeon; Son, Hyo-Rim

2016-05-01

The Korean-Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE) is a dementia-screening test that can be easily applied in both community and clinical settings. However, in 20% to 30% of cases, the K-MMSE produces a false negative response. This suggests that it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy of K-MMSE as a screening test for dementia, which can be achieved through comparison of K-MMSE and Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB)-II results. The study included 713 subjects (male 534, female 179; mean age, 69.3±6.9 years). All subjects were assessed using K-MMSE and SNSB-II tests, the results of which were divided into normal and abnormal in 15 percentile standards. The sensitivity of the K-MMSE was 48.7%, with a specificity of 89.9%. The incidence of false positive and negative results totaled 10.1% and 51.2%, respectively. In addition, the positive predictive value of the K-MMSE was 87.1%, while the negative predictive value was 55.6%. The false-negative group showed cognitive impairments in regions of memory and executive function. Subsequently, in the false-positive group, subjects demonstrated reduced performance in memory recall, time orientation, attention, and calculation of K-MMSE items. The results obtained in the study suggest that cognitive function might still be impaired even if an individual obtained a normal score on the K-MMSE. If the K-MMSE is combined with tests of memory or executive function, the accuracy of dementia diagnosis could be greatly improved.

Social Cognition Deficits: Current Position and Future Directions for Neuropsychological Interventions in Cerebrovascular Disease

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Progress Njomboro

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Neuropsychological assessments of cognitive dysfunction in cerebrovascular illness commonly target basic cognitive functions involving aspects of memory, attention, language, praxis, and number processing. Here, I highlight the clinical importance of often-neglected social cognition functions. These functions recruit a widely distributed neural network, making them vulnerable in most cerebrovascular diseases. Sociocognitive deficits underlie most of the problematic social conduct observed in patients and are associated with more negative clinical outcomes (compared to nonsocial cognitive deficits. In clinical settings, social cognition deficits are normally gleaned from collateral information from caregivers or from indirect inferences made from patients’ performance on standard nonsocial cognitive tests. Information from these sources is however inadequate. I discuss key social cognition functions, focusing initially on deficits in emotion perception and theory of mind, two areas that have gained sizeable attention in neuroscientific research, and then extend the discussion into relatively new, less covered but crucial functions involving empathic behaviour, social awareness, social judgements, and social decision making. These functions are frequently impaired following neurological change. At present, a wide range of psychometrically robust social cognition tests is available, and this review also makes the case for their inclusion in neuropsychological assessments.

Current standards of neuropsychological assessment in epilepsy surgery centers across Europe.

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Vogt, Viola Lara; Äikiä, Marja; Del Barrio, Antonio; Boon, Paul; Borbély, Csaba; Bran, Ema; Braun, Kees; Carette, Evelien; Clark, Maria; Cross, Judith Helen; Dimova, Petia; Fabo, Daniel; Foroglou, Nikolaos; Francione, Stefano; Gersamia, Anna; Gil-Nagel, Antonio; Guekht, Alla; Harrison, Sue; Hecimovic, Hrvoje; Heminghyt, Einar; Hirsch, Edouard; Javurkova, Alena; Kälviäinen, Reetta; Kavan, Nicole; Kelemen, Anna; Kimiskidis, Vasilios K; Kirschner, Margarita; Kleitz, Catherine; Kobulashvili, Teia; Kosmidis, Mary H; Kurtish, Selin Yagci; Lesourd, Mathieu; Ljunggren, Sofia; Lossius, Morten Ingvar; Malmgren, Kristina; Mameniskiené, Ruta; Martin-Sanfilippo, Patricia; Marusic, Petr; Miatton, Marijke; Özkara, Çiğdem; Pelle, Federica; Rubboli, Guido; Rudebeck, Sarah; Ryvlin, Philippe; van Schooneveld, Monique; Schmid, Elisabeth; Schmidt, Pia-Magdalena; Seeck, Margitta; Steinhoff, Bernhard J; Shavel-Jessop, Sara; Tarta-Arsene, Oana; Trinka, Eugen; Viggedal, Gerd; Wendling, Anne-Sophie; Witt, Juri-Alexander; Helmstaedter, Christoph

2017-03-01

We explored the current practice with respect to the neuropsychological assessment of surgical epilepsy patients in European epilepsy centers, with the aim of harmonizing and establishing common standards. Twenty-six epilepsy centers and members of "E-PILEPSY" (a European pilot network of reference centers in refractory epilepsy and epilepsy surgery), were asked to report the status of neuropsychological assessment in adults and children via two different surveys. There was a consensus among these centers regarding the role of neuropsychology in the presurgical workup. Strong agreement was found on indications (localization, epileptic dysfunctions, adverse drugs effects, and postoperative monitoring) and the domains to be evaluated (memory, attention, executive functions, language, visuospatial skills, intelligence, depression, anxiety, and quality of life). Although 186 different tests are in use throughout these European centers, a core group of tests reflecting a moderate level of agreement could be discerned. Variability exists with regard to indications, protocols, and paradigms for the assessment of hemispheric language dominance. For the tests in use, little published evidence of clinical validity in epilepsy was provided. Participants in the survey reported a need for improvement concerning the validity of the tests, tools for the assessment of everyday functioning and accelerated forgetting, national norms, and test co-normalization. Based on the present survey, we documented a consensus regarding the indications and principles of neuropsychological testing. Despite the variety of tests in use, the survey indicated that there may be a core set of tests chosen based on experience, as well as on published evidence. By combining these findings with the results of an ongoing systematic literature review, we aim for a battery that can be recommended for the use across epilepsy surgical centers in Europe. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League

Effects of Bullying Experience on Psychological Well-Being Mediated by Conflict Management Styles and Psychological Empowerment among Nursing Students in Clinical Placement: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

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Ren, Liping; Kim, Hyunli

2017-10-01

This study aimed to test a proposed structural equation model in which bullying experience, conflict management styles and psychological empowerment predict psychological well-being among Chinese nursing students in clinical placement. Three hundred and sixty-six nursing students recruited from five hospitals in J city and Y city were assessed with self-report questionnaires on bullying experience, conflict management styles, psychological empowerment and psychological well-being including depression, self-esteem, and academic major satisfaction. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 and AMOS version 22.0. The evaluation parameters included the comparative fit index at .90, the goodness of fit index at .93, the root mean square error of approximation at .07, and χ²/df ratio at 2.66, indicating that the proposed structural equation model provided a good fit to the data. Experience of being bullied during clinical placement, conflict management styles and psychological empowerment explained 93.0% of the variance and had significant effects on psychological well-being, with conflict management styles and psychological empowerment mediating the association between bullying and psychological well-being. The findings indicated that mediation by conflict management styles and psychological empowerment alleviated the negative influence of bullying on psychological well-being. To limit bullying and its negative effects, development of effective guidelines to deal with bullying will be a critical tool for both Chinese nursing students and their instructors. Further research should incorporate conflict management styles and psychological empowerment into the specific intervention strategies for handling bullying behaviors among nursing students and staff nurses and promoting nursing students' psychological well-being. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Compulsory Schooling, Child Study, Clinical Psychology, and Special Education: Origins of School Psychology.

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Fagan, Thomas K.

1992-01-01

Discusses the history of school psychology, emphasizing the work of L. Witmer (1897, 1907, 1910, 1922) and G. S. Hall (1911, 1923). Providing psychological services in the schools is among the earliest instances of applied psychology. School psychology was one of many child-saving services originating from 1890 to 1920. (SLD)

Cranial radiation in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia. Neuropsychologic sequelae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitt, J.K.; Wells, R.J.; Lauria, M.M.; Wilhelm, C.L.; McMillan, C.W.

1984-01-01

A battery of neuropsychologic tests was administered ''blindly'' to 18 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) who had been randomly assigned to treatment regimens with or without cranial radiation. These children were all in complete continuous remission for more than 3 1/2 years and were no longer receiving therapy. The results indicated no substantial differences between groups as a function of radiation therapy. However, decreased neuropsychologic performance was found when the entire sample was compared with population norms. These data do not support the hypothesis that cranial radiation therapy is responsible for the neuropsychologic sequelae seen in these survivors of ALL. Post hoc multiple regression analysis indicated that parental education levels accounted for more of the neuropsychologic variability seen in these children than other factors such as age at diagnosis, type of therapy, or sex of child

Differential diagnosis of degenerative dementias using basic neuropsychological tests: multivariable logistic regression analysis of 301 patients.

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Jiménez-Huete, Adolfo; Riva, Elena; Toledano, Rafael; Campo, Pablo; Esteban, Jesús; Barrio, Antonio Del; Franch, Oriol

2014-12-01

The validity of neuropsychological tests for the differential diagnosis of degenerative dementias may depend on the clinical context. We constructed a series of logistic models taking into account this factor. We retrospectively analyzed the demographic and neuropsychological data of 301 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal degeneration (FTLD), or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Nine models were constructed taking into account the diagnostic question (eg, AD vs DLB) and subpopulation (incident vs prevalent). The AD versus DLB model for all patients, including memory recovery and phonological fluency, was highly accurate (area under the curve = 0.919, sensitivity = 90%, and specificity = 80%). The results were comparable in incident and prevalent cases. The FTLD versus AD and DLB versus FTLD models were both inaccurate. The models constructed from basic neuropsychological variables allowed an accurate differential diagnosis of AD versus DLB but not of FTLD versus AD or DLB. © The Author(s) 2014.

Postgraduate Clinical Psychology Students' Perceptions of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Stress Management Intervention and Clinical Training

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Pakenham, Kenneth I.; Stafford-Brown, Johanna

2013-01-01

Background: Research into stress management interventions for clinical psychology trainees (CPTs) is limited, despite evidence indicating that these individuals are at risk for elevated stress, which can negatively impact personal and professional functioning. This study explored: (1) CPTs' perceptions of a previously evaluated Acceptance and…

Improving transparency and reproducibility through registration: The status of intervention trials published in clinical psychology journals.

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Cybulski, Lukasz; Mayo-Wilson, Evan; Grant, Sean

2016-09-01

Prospective registration increases the validity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In the United States, registration is a legal requirement for drugs and devices regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and many biomedical journals refuse to publish trials that are not registered. Trials in clinical psychology have not been subject to these requirements; it is unknown to what extent they are registered. We searched the 25 highest-impact clinical psychology journals that published at least 1 RCT of a health-related psychological intervention in 2013. For included trials, we evaluated their registration status (prospective, retrospective, not registered) and the completeness of their outcome definitions. We identified 163 articles that reported 165 RCTs; 73 (44%) RCTs were registered, of which only 25 (15%) were registered prospectively. Of registered RCTs, only 42 (58%) indicated their registration status in the publication. Only 2 (1% of all trials) were registered prospectively and defined their primary outcomes completely. For the primary outcome(s), 72 (99%) of all registrations defined the domain, 67 (92%) the time frame, and 48 (66%) the specific measurements. Only 19 (26%) and 5 (7%) defined the specific metric and method of aggregation, respectively, for all primary outcomes. Very few reports of RCTs published in clinical psychology journals were registered prospectively and completely. Clinical psychology journals could improve transparency and reproducibility, as well as reduce bias, by requiring complete prospective trial registration for publication and by including trial registration numbers in all reports of RCTs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Neurological and neuropsychological effects of cerebral spinal fluid shunting in children with assumed arrested ("normal pressure") hydrocephalus.

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Torkelson, R D; Leibrock, L G; Gustavson, J L; Sundell, R R

1985-08-01

Normocephalic children found to have ventriculomegaly during evaluation of long-standing (4.5-8.5 years) neurological disorder were tested for academic achievement, intellectual quotient and neuropsychological functioning. Radioactive iodinated serum cisternography, pre and post-shunt electrophysiological studies (visual evoked responses, brainstem auditory evoked potentials, sleep electroencephalograms) and radiological studies (skull radiographs computed tomography) were recorded. Four children who have been followed more than one year after insertion of ventricular-peritoneal shunts are presented. All demonstrated improvement in psychometric findings along with some improvement in CT scan and EEG studies. The most marked initial changes were noted on measures of neuropsychological performance, accompanied later by improvement in measures of intelligence. Achievement test scores showed no consistent pattern of change. This sample suggests that there is a group of asymptomatic children with apparent clinically stable (arrested) hydrocephalus in whom abnormal neuropsychological testing indicates the need for cerebrospinal fluid shunting, with subsequent improvement.

Neuropsychological and socio-occupational functioning in young psychiatric outpatients: a longitudinal investigation.

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Rico S C Lee

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Clinical symptoms and neuropsychological deficits are longitudinally associated with functional outcome in chronic psychiatric cohorts. The current study extended these findings to young and early-course psychiatric outpatients, with the aim of identifying cognitive markers that predict later socio-occupational functioning. METHODS: At baseline, 183 young psychiatric outpatients were assessed. Ninety-three returned for follow-up (M = 21.6 years old; SD = 4.5 with an average re-assessment interval of 21.6 months (SD = 7.0, and primary diagnoses of major depressive disorder (n = 34, bipolar disorder (n = 29, or psychosis (n = 30. The primary outcome measure was cross-validated with various other functional measures and structural equation modelling was used to map out the interrelationships between predictors and later functional outcome. RESULTS: Good socio-occupational functioning at follow-up was associated with better quality of life, less disability, current employment and being in a romantic relationship. The final structural equation model explained 47.5% of the variability in functional outcome at follow-up, with baseline neuropsychological functioning (a composite of memory, working memory and attentional switching the best independent predictor of later functional outcome. Notably, depressive and negative symptoms were only associated with functioning cross-sectionally. Diagnosis at follow-up was not associated with functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychological functioning was the single best predictor of later socio-occupational outcome among young psychiatric outpatients. Therefore, framing psychiatric disorders along a neuropsychological continuum is likely to be more useful in predicting functional trajectory than traditional symptom-based classification systems. The current findings also have implications for early intervention utilising cognitive remediation approaches.

Effects of brain-directed nutrients on cerebral blood flow and neuropsychological testing: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.

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Amen, Daniel G; Taylor, Derek V; Ojala, Kristine; Kaur, Jasleen; Willeumier, Kristen

2013-01-01

In a prior open trial of professional football players who displayed the effects of traumatic brain injury, the current reserach team reported significant improvements in clinical symptoms, neuropsychological testing and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) following the use of brain-directed nutrients (BDNs) and lifestyle interventions. The current study intended to determine whether supplementation with BDNs improved rCBF and neuropsychological function in healthy individuals. The current study was a randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, which was a more rigorous reseach design than the prior study and did not include lifestyle interventions. Participants underwent evaluation and testing at the Amen Clinics, Inc, a private medical facility in Newport Beach, CA. Thirty healthy adult (15 male and 15 female) participants were recruited from the community though local advertising and met the requirements for eligibility into the study. Twenty-five individuals completed the study, with dropout due to events unrelated to the study itself. The participants were randomly assigned to a treatment order for intervention, either placebo or brain supplements first. The BDNs treatment was comprised of three supplements: fish oil; a high-potency, multiple vitamin/mineral supplement; and a brainenhancement supplement. The placebo treatment was two supplements comprised of rice flour to replace the multiple vitamin/mineral complex and the brain-enhancement supplement and one supplement made of other oils to replace the fish-oil mixture. After 2 mo of this first intervention, a crossover intervention occurred for a final 2 mo, in which participants formerly receiving BDNs received a placebo treatment and participants formerly treated with placebo received the BDNs treatment. Primary outcome measures included (1) an analysis of the changes in rCBF using SPECT and (2) an assessment of the differences in cognitive and emotional function using the Micro

Clinical psychology service users' experiences of confidentiality and informed consent: a qualitative analysis.

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Martindale, S J; Chambers, E; Thompson, A R

2009-12-01

To explore and describe the experience of clinical psychology service users in relation to the processes associated with confidentiality and the generation of informed consent in individual therapy. A qualitative interview-based study employing interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted with service users. User researchers were active collaborators in the study. A focus group of four users was convened to explore issues related to confidentiality and consent, which then informed the development of the semi-structured interview schedule. Twelve users of community mental health clinical psychology services were interviewed by user researchers. A user researcher and a clinical psychologist undertook joint analysis of the data. A second clinical psychologist facilitated reflexivity and wider consideration of validity issues. Four main themes were identified from the data: being referred; the participant's feelings, mental health difficulties, and their impact; relationships with workers and carers; and autonomy. The meaningfulness of processes of discussing confidentiality, and generating informed consent, can be improved by psychologists placing a greater emphasis on choice, control, autonomy, individual preferences, and actively involving the user in dialogue on repeated occasions.

Formal thought disorder, neuropsychology and insight in schizophrenia.

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Barrera, Alvaro; McKenna, Peter J; Berrios, German E

2009-01-01

Information provided by patients with schizophrenia and their respective carers is used to study the descriptive psychopathology and neuropsychology of formal thought disorder (FTD). Relatively intellectually preserved schizophrenia patients (n = 31) exhibiting from no to severe positive FTD completed a self-report scale of FTD, a scale of insight as well as several tests of executive and semantic function. The patients' carers completed another scale of FTD to assess the patients' speech. FTD as self-reported by patients was significantly associated with the synonyms test performance and severity of the reality distortion dimension. FTD as assessed by a clinician and by the patients' carers was significantly associated with executive test performance and performance in a test of associative semantics. Overall insight was significantly associated with severity of the reality distortion dimension and graded naming test performance, but was not associated with self-reported FTD or severity of FTD as assessed by the clinician or carers. The self-reported experience of FTD has different clinical and neuropsychological correlates from those of FTD as assessed by clinicians and carers. The assessment of FTD by patients and carers used along with the clinician's assessment may further the study of this group of symptoms. 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Neurological soft signs in persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and the relationships to neuropsychological functions

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Li Hui-jie

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Neurological abnormalities have been reported in people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI. The current study aimed to examine the prevalence of neurological soft signs (NSS in this clinical group and to examine the relationship of NSS to other neuropsychological performances. Methods Twenty-nine people with aMCI and 28 cognitively healthy elderly people were recruited for the present study. The NSS subscales (motor coordination, sensory integration, and disinhibition of the Cambridge Neurological Inventory and a set of neuropsychological tests were administered to all the participants. Results People with aMCI exhibited significantly more motor coordination signs, disinhibition signs, and total NSS than normal controls. Correlation analysis showed that the motor coordination subscale score and total score of NSS were significantly inversely correlated with the combined Z-score of neuropsychological tests in aMCI group. Conclusions These preliminary findings suggested that people with aMCI demonstrated a higher prevalence of NSS compared to healthy elderly people. Moreover, NSS was found to be inversely correlated with the neuropsychological performances in persons with aMCI. When taken together, these findings suggested that NSS may play a potential important role and serve as a tool to assist in the early detection of aMCI.

Role of prophylactic brain irradiation in limited stage small cell lung cancer: clinical, neuropsychologic, and CT sequelae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laukkanen, E.; Klonoff, H.; Allan, B.; Graeb, D.; Murray, N.

1988-01-01

Ninety-four patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer treated between 1981 and 1985 with a regimen including prophylactic brain irradiation (PBI) after combination chemotherapy were assessed for compliance with PBI, brain relapse, and neurologic morbidity. Seventy-seven percent of patients had PBI and of these, 22% developed brain metastases after a median time of 11 months post treatment. The brain was the apparent unique initial site of relapse in 10% of PBI cases but more commonly brain relapse was preceded or accompanied by failure at other sites, especially the chest. Brain metastases were the greatest cause of morbidity in 50% of PBI failures. Twelve of 14 PBI patients alive 2 years after treatment had oncologic, neurologic, and neuropsychological evaluation, and brain CT. All long-term survivors were capable of self care and none fulfilled diagnostic criteria for dementia, with three borderline cases. One third had pretreatment neurologic dysfunction and two thirds post treatment neurologic symptoms, most commonly recent memory loss. Fifty percent had subtle motor findings. Intellectual functioning was at the 38th percentile with most patients having an unskilled occupational history. Neuropsychologic impairment ratings were borderline in three cases and definitely impaired in seven cases. CT scans showed brain atrophy in all cases with mild progression in those having a pre-treatment baseline. Periventricular and subcortical low density lesions identical to the CT appearance of subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy were seen in 82% of posttreatment CT studies, and lacunar infarcts in 54%. Neuropsychologic impairment scores and the extent of CT periventricular low density lesions were strongly associated

Neuropsychological testing and biomarkers in the management of brain metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baschnagel, Andrew; Wolters, Pamela L; Camphausen, Kevin

2008-01-01

Prognosis for patients with brain metastasis remains poor. Whole brain radiation therapy is the conventional treatment option; it can improve neurological symptoms, prevent and improve tumor associated neurocognitive decline, and prevents death from neurologic causes. In addition to whole brain radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, neurosurgery and chemotherapy also are used in the management of brain metastases. Radiosensitizers are now currently being investigated as potential treatment options. All of these treatment modalities carry a risk of central nervous system (CNS) toxicity that can lead to neurocognitive impairment in long term survivors. Neuropsychological testing and biomarkers are potential ways of measuring and better understanding CNS toxicity. These tools may help optimize current therapies and develop new treatments for these patients. This article will review the current management of brain metastases, summarize the data on the CNS effects associated with brain metastases and whole brain radiation therapy in these patients, discuss the use of neuropsychological tests as outcome measures in clinical trials evaluating treatments for brain metastases, and give an overview of the potential of biomarker development in brain metastases research

A Combined Training Program for Veterans with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

Clinic, VA Outpatient Neuropsychology Service, Stanford/VA Alzheimer’s Research Center, and the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical...educate providers in neurology, primary care, neuropsychology , psychiatry, and psychology about the study and the inclusion/exclusion criteria. We have...Exclusionary Criteria Exclusionary Criteria Screen Code Criteria E01  Current severe psychiatric disorder, such as Bipolar I,  Schizophrenia , or Major

Reliability and validity of a self-administered tool for online neuropsychological testing : The Amsterdam Cognition Scan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, H.E.M.; Murre, J.M.J.; Vermeulen, I. E.; Kieffer, J.M.; Schagen, S.B.

2018-01-01

Introduction : To facilitate large-scale assessment of a variety of cognitive abilities in clinical studies, we developed a self-administered online neuropsychological test battery: the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS). The current studies evaluate in a group of adult cancer patients: test–retest

Reliability and validity of a self-administered tool for online neuropsychological testing : The Amsterdam Cognition Scan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feenstra, Heleen E.M.; Murre, Jaap M.J.; Vermeulen, Ivar E.; Kieffer, Jacobien M.; Schagen, Sanne B.

2018-01-01

Introduction: To facilitate large-scale assessment of a variety of cognitive abilities in clinical studies, we developed a self-administered online neuropsychological test battery: the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS). The current studies evaluate in a group of adult cancer patients: test–retest

Developmental disorders: what can be learned from cognitive neuropsychology?

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Castles, Anne; Kohnen, Saskia; Nickels, Lyndsey; Brock, Jon

2014-01-01

The discipline of cognitive neuropsychology has been important for informing theories of cognition and describing the nature of acquired cognitive disorders, but its applicability in a developmental context has been questioned. Here, we revisit this issue, asking whether the cognitive neuropsychological approach can be helpful for exploring the nature and causes of developmental disorders and, if so, how. We outline the key features of the cognitive neuropsychological approach, and then consider how some of the major challenges to this approach from a developmental perspective might be met. In doing so, we distinguish between challenges to the methods of cognitive neuropsychology and those facing its deeper conceptual underpinnings. We conclude that the detailed investigation of patterns of both associations and dissociations, and across both developmental and acquired cases, can assist in describing the cognitive deficits within developmental disorders and in delineating possible causal pathways to their acquisition.

A decade of the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology (2001-2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izabela Zych

2011-01-01

and that the journal has published works of authors from 29 different countries. The highest percentages were found for ex post facto studies, works on test validation and adaptation and adult clinical samples. These results are in agreement with the journal's mission of promoting advancement in clinical and health psychology and show that it is a truly international journal.

Emotional power of music in patients with memory disorders: clinical implications of cognitive neuroscience.

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Samson, Séverine; Dellacherie, Delphine; Platel, Hervé

2009-07-01

By adapting methods of cognitive psychology to neuropsychology, we examined memory and familiarity abilities in music in relation to emotion. First we present data illustrating how the emotional content of stimuli influences memory for music. Second, we discuss recent findings obtained in patients with two different brain disorders (medically intractable epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease) that show relatively spared memory performance for music, despite severe verbal memory disorders. Studies on musical memory and its relation to emotion open up paths for new strategies in cognitive rehabilitation and reinstate the importance of examining interactions between cognitive and clinical neurosciences.

Treatment of Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Self-Reported Neuropsychological Performance at 6 Months - Results of a Prospective Clinical Pilot Study on Good-Grade Patients.

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Bründl, Elisabeth; Schödel, Petra; Bele, Sylvia; Proescholdt, Martin; Scheitzach, Judith; Zeman, Florian; Brawanski, Alexander; Schebesch, Karl-Michael

2018-01-01

Limited focus has been placed on neuropsychological patient profiles after spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (sSAH). We conducted a prospective controlled study in good-grade sSAH patients to evaluate the time course of treatment-specific differences in cognitive processing after sSAH. Twenty-six consecutive sSAH patients were enrolled (drop out n=5). Nine patients received endovascular aneurysm occlusion (EV), 6 patients were treated microsurgically (MS), and 6 patients with perimesencephalic SAH (pSAH) underwent standardized intensive medical care. No patient experienced serious vasospasm-related ischemic or hemorrhagic complications. All patients were subjected to neuropsychological self-report assessment (36-Item Short Form Health Survey and ICD-10-Symptom-Rating questionnaire) subacutely (day 11 - 35) after the onset of bleeding (t1) and at the 6-month follow-up (FU; t 2 ). From t1 to t 2 , MS and EV patients significantly improved in physical functioning (Pfi; p=.001 each) and the physical component summary (p=.010 vs. p=.015). Bodily pain (Pain; MS p=.034) and general health perceptions (EV p=.014) significantly improved, and nutrition disorder (EV p=.008) worsened. At FU, MS patients reported significantly better Pfi (vs. EV p=.046), less Pain (vs. EV p=.040), and more depression (vs. pSAH p=.035). Group-rate analyses of test differences showed a significant alleviation in nutrition disorder in MS (vs. EV p=.009). All sSAH groups reported a significant deterioration in health. Though both MS and EV patients, improved in several physical items over time, our data suggest a better short-term Pfi, less Pain and improved nutrition disorder in surgically treated patients. pSAH patients performed significantly better in various aspects of physical and psychological functioning than patients with aneurysmal SAH.

Work-life integration in neuropsychology: a review of the existing literature and preliminary recommendations.

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Feigon, Maia; Block, Cady; Guidotti Breting, Leslie; Boxley, Laura; Dawson, Erica; Cobia, Derin

2018-02-01

The purpose of the current review paper is to identify and describe challenges to work-life integration in neuropsychology, and from this review extrapolate an initial set of recommendations and present a set of scenarios in which the recommendations might apply in the hopes of improving quality of life for current and prospective neuropsychologists. Specific areas of focus include diversity, early and mid-career transitions, and potential barriers to advancement in specific practice settings. A broad review was conducted of extant literature on work-life integration. There is scant scientific literature in this area that is specific to neuropsychologists, or even psychology as a whole. Subsequently, the majority of this review was collected from more developed literatures in business and medical fields. The authors then provided recommendations based on experiences in their respective careers. Attempts were made to promote generalizability of recommendations for neuropsychologists in different settings. Evidence supports a potentially adverse impact on quality of life and overall life satisfaction when work and personal lives conflict. This manuscript identifies some of the potential risks when work and life responsibilities are not well integrated. It is anticipated this will serve as a catalyst for future studies on work-life integration in the field of neuropsychology, specifically.

A systematic review of neuropsychological performance in social anxiety disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O'Toole, Mia Skytte; Pedersen, Anders Degn

2011-01-01

Background: Over the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the neuropsychological performance of patients with anxiety disorders, yet the literature does not provide a systematic review of the results concerning adult patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Aims: The primary...... aim of this paper is to review the literature on neuropsychological performance in adult patients with SAD. Methods: This paper is a systematic review of empirical studies investigating neuropsychological performance as assessed by cognitive tests. Results: 30 papers were located comprising a total...... number of 698 adult patients with SAD. The review revealed indication for decreased performance regarding visual scanning and visuoconstructional ability as well as some indication for verbal memory difficulties. Conclusion: The impact of possible confounding variables on the neuropsychological...

Neuropsychological intervention in the acute phase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norup, Anne; Siert, Lars; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2013-01-01

This pilot study investigated the effects of acute neuropsychological intervention for relatives of patients with severe brain injury. Participants were enrolled in an intervention group comprising 39 relatives, and a control group comprising 47 relatives. The intervention consisted of supportive.......0100.30), but also significantly lower Role Emotional scores (= 2.12 = 0.043, = 0.40). In the sub-acute setting, an analysis of covariance model showed a borderline significant difference between the intervention and the control group on the anxiety scale (= 0.066 = 0.59). Any effects of the acute neuropsychological...

Use of Portable Digital Devices to Analyze Autonomic Stress Response in Psychology Objective Structured Clinical Examination.

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Beltrán-Velasco, Ana Isabel; Bellido-Esteban, Alberto; Ruisoto-Palomera, Pablo; Clemente-Suárez, Vicente Javier

2018-01-12

The aim of the present study was to explore changes in the autonomic stress response of Psychology students in a Psychology Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and their relationship with OSCE performance. Variables of autonomic modulation by the analysis of heart rate variability in temporal, frequency and non-linear domains, subjective perception of distress strait and academic performance were measured before and after the two different evaluations that composed the OSCE. A psychology objective structured clinical examination composed by two different evaluation scenarios produced a large anxiety anticipatory response, a habituation response in the first of the evaluation scenarios and a in the entire evaluation, and a no habituation response in the second evaluation scenario. Autonomic modulation parameters do not correlate with academic performance of students.

Neuropsychological Predictors of Dementia in a Three-Year Follow-Up Period: Data from the LADIS Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Madureira, S.; Verdelho, A.; Moleiro, C.; Ferro, J.M.; Erkinjuntti, T.; Jokinen, H.; Pantoni, L.; Fazekas, F.; van der Flier, W.M.; Visser, M.; Waldemar, G.; Wallin, A.; Hennerici, M.; Inzitari, D.

2010-01-01

Background: White matter changes (WMC) are related to cognitive deficits and dementia. Our aim was to determine the extent to which the performance in neuropsychological tests would be able to predict the clinical diagnosis of dementia. Methods: The LADIS (Leukoaraiosis and Disability) is a

Neuropsychology of domestic violence: a comparative preliminary study of executive functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Becerra-García, Juan Antonio

2015-01-01

In neuropsychological studies of executive functioning in domestic violence offenders, the different investigations conducted have only studied differences within this group or in relation to control groups of non-offenders. To minimize the limitations in relation to comparison groups, the purpose of this study was to compare executive functioning in domestic violence offenders in relation to different groups of offenders (i.e. sexual, violent and non-violent) and a control group of non-offenders, with all groups matched on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Executive functioning was tested of all participants with the Trail Making Test (direct and derived scores). Compared with the control group, the domestic violence offenders and sex offenders exhibited the poorest performance on the Trail Making Test part B (time) and on the B-A derived index; whereas, the violent offenders group (i.e. convicted of assault, wounding, homicide etc.) showed a high number of errors in part B. These findings suggest that domestic violence offenders exhibit similar performance on the TMT as sex offenders, where both have poorer cognitive flexibility and executive control. Other violent offenders exhibited different patterns of difficulty on this test (e.g. more impulsivity responses). Executive functioning may be a central psychological process that could help explain the interrelations between domestic and sexual aggression, and could be a relevant construct for common treatment of domestic batterers and sex offenders. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Questionnaire-based assessment of executive functioning: Psychometrics.

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Castellanos, Irina; Kronenberger, William G; Pisoni, David B

2018-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning (LEAF) scale were investigated in an outpatient clinical pediatric sample. As a part of clinical testing, the LEAF scale, which broadly measures neuropsychological abilities related to executive functioning and learning, was administered to parents of 118 children and adolescents referred for psychological testing at a pediatric psychology clinic; 85 teachers also completed LEAF scales to assess reliability across different raters and settings. Scores on neuropsychological tests of executive functioning and academic achievement were abstracted from charts. Psychometric analyses of the LEAF scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, parent-teacher inter-rater reliability in the small to large effect size range, and test-retest reliability in the large effect size range, similar to values for other executive functioning checklists. Correlations between corresponding subscales on the LEAF and other behavior checklists were large, while most correlations with neuropsychological tests of executive functioning and achievement were significant but in the small to medium range. Results support the utility of the LEAF as a reliable and valid questionnaire-based assessment of delays and disturbances in executive functioning and learning. Applications and advantages of the LEAF and other questionnaire measures of executive functioning in clinical neuropsychology settings are discussed.

Cognitive Training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Neuropsychological Outcomes From Randomized Controlled Trials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cortese, S.; Ferrin, M.; Brandeis, D.; Buitelaar, J.K.; Daley, D.; Dittmann, R.W.; Holtmann, M.; Santosh, P.; Stevenson, J.; Stringaris, A.; Zuddas, A.; Sonuga-Barke, E.J.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The authors performed meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials to examine the effects of cognitive training on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, neuropsychological deficits, and academic skills in children/adolescents with ADHD. METHOD: The authors searched

A neuropsychological rehabilitation program for patients with Multiple Sclerosis based on the model of the ICF.

Science.gov (United States)

Pusswald, Gisela; Mildner, Christa; Zebenholzer, Karin; Auff, Eduard; Lehrner, Johann

2014-01-01

Forty to sixty percent of MS patients suffer from cognitive impairments. Cognitive deficits are a great burden for patients affected. In particular they may lead to a reduced quality of life, loss of work and problems with the social environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate a specific neuropsychological rehabilitation program for MS patients according to the ICF to be able to meet more properly individual requirements on the therapy level of function as well as of activities and participation. Forty patients with MS were randomised in an intervention (IG) - and a control group (CG). The outcome measure of the IG, who started an intensive computer based home training of attention and attended psychological counselling was compared to the untrained CG. In specific domains of attention (simple and cued alertness and divided attention) significant group differences between CG and IG could be found. The IG reported an improvement of mental fatigue and retardation. These findings support the idea that a neuropsychological rehabilitation program, which based on the model of ICF, could improve cognitive impairment and could also have a positive influence of activities and participation.

Can neuropsychological testing produce unequivocal evidence of brain damage? II. Testing for right vs. left differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Reitan, Ralph M; Wolfson, Deborah

2008-01-01

Sensation and perception, as well as motor functions, have played an important role in the history of psychology. Although tests of these abilities are sometimes included in neuropsychological assessments, comparisons of intraindividual performances on the two sides of the body (as a basis for drawing conclusions and comparisons about the functional status of the two cerebral hemispheres) are in many instances neglected or considered only casually. This study, utilizing several motor and sensory-perceptual tests, compared intraindividual differences on the two sides of the body in a group of controls and a group of persons with brain damage. The results indicated that the sensory-perceptual tests were particularly effective in differentiating the groups. More than 60% of the group with brain damage had greater differences on the two sides of the body than did any of the controls. These findings suggest that a substantial proportion of persons with cerebral disease or damage may be subject to unequivocal identification using sensory-perceptual tests that take only about 20 minutes to administer. These tests may serve a valuable role as an adjunct to comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and should be further evaluated in this respect.