Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Testing
After suffering an open or closed head injury, neuropsychological testing will likely be recommended by your neurologist or physician. With these types of injuries, the prognosis for an individual can vary significantly depending on the severity and location of the injury. Neuropsychological testing, in conjunction with imaging (i.e., PET, CT, MRI scans), can aid in determining how damage to specific areas of the brain may affect an individual’s physical and motor functioning, cognitions, social and emotional skills, and psychological functioning. It can also provide an idea of the long-term functional impacts that may occur as a result of the injury. Additionally, neuropsychological assessment is recommended after a traumatic brain injury in order to establish an individual’s baseline functioning, which can then be compared to their performance on future testing to determine changes in treatment needs and functioning over time.
A comprehensive neuropsychological assessment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) consists of testing for the following:
- Intellectual functioning
- Attention & Concentration
- Processing Speed
- Mental Flexibility
- Verbal and Visual Reasoning
- Verbal and Visual Memory
- Motor and Sensory Functioning
- Review of records (if applicable)
Depending on the age of the patient and the presenting concern, the following may also be components of the assessment:
- Psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and mood dysregulation which can also affect mental functioning
- Testing of personality structure to assess attitudes, emotions, thoughts/beliefs, and behavioral characteristics that may contribute to psychosocial difficulties
- Self-ratings and informant-ratings (i.e., parent/caregiver, confidant, and/or teacher) of the patient’s competency for daily living and practical skills in various settings
- Assessment of adaptive functioning, such as a person’s ability to carry out daily living tasks and activities
Current Mental Status
