Week 2: Neuropsychology

• Neuropsychology is the study of brain and behaviour.
• The key philosophical theme of modern neural science is that all behaviour is a reflection of brain function.
• Career paths in Neuropsychology include Academic Neuropsychology, which is research focused, and Clinical Neuropsychology, which is patient focused.
• There is a clear interaction between Academic Neuropsychology and Clinical Neuropsychology, with the identification of the role of the brain in disorders impacting diagnosis and treatment.
• Academic Neuropsychology specialises in a neuropsychological area such as Mental health, Brain Injury, Language, Memory, Motor control.
• Academic Neuropsychology also involves the convergence of neuropsychological methods.
• Disorders of the brain include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease.
• Influential Studies in neuropsychology include the study of Alzheimer's disease, the study of brain injury, and the study of normal aging.
• Clinical Neuropsychology assesses and rehabilitates people with brain injury, or neurological disease.
• Neuropsychological methods include neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological recording.
• Neuropsychology is the study of the brain and its functions, particularly the relationship between the brain and behavior.
• Career opportunities in Neuropsychology include roles such as clinical neuropsychologists, research neuropsychologists, and university professors.
• The lobes of the brain include the Frontal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Temporal Lobe, Occipital Lobe, and Insular Cortex.
• Clinical Neuropsychology works with people of all ages and neurological problems, including Stroke, toxic and metabolic disorders, tumours, and neuro-degenerative diseases.
• Clinical Neuropsychology is an independent learning route with supervised practice, requiring 60 hours of supervision with access to a required range of cases.
• Clinical Neuropsychology can specialise in paediatric or adult cases.
• Neuropsychological methods include EEG, MEG, CT, PET, MRI/FMRI, TMS, and neuropsychological assessments.
• Cognitive functions associated with the Frontal lobe of the brain include reasoning, planning, problem-solving, and executive function.
• Disorders of the Temporal lobe of the brain include Temporal lobe dysfunction and Temporal lobe epilepsy.
• In the case of Phineas Gage, the frontal lobe of the brain was affected, leading to changes in personality and behaviour.
• Disorders of the Frontal lobe of the brain include Frontal lobe dementia, Frontal lobe dysfunction, and Frontal lobe epilepsy.
• Battery Testing involves the testing of cognitive domains such as Memory, Attention, Planning, Language and communication, Motor skills, and is associated with normative databases.
• Individual Tests are tailored to suit a particular behaviour or cognitive domain such as Memory, Attention, Visuospatial ability, Verbal ability, Premorbid intelligence, and are faster in application and more specialised.
• Cognitive functions associated with the Insular lobe of the brain include emotion, sensation, and consciousness.
• Cognitive functions associated with the Temporal lobe of the brain include memory, language, and auditory processing.
• Cognitive functions associated with the Occipital lobe of the brain include vision and visual perception.
• Influential Studies in Neuropsychology include Phineas Gage and Patient Leborgne.
• Disorders of the Occipital lobe of the brain include Occipital lobe dysfunction and Occipital lobe epilepsy.
• Disorders of the Insular lobe of the brain include Insular lobe dysfunction and Insular lobe epilepsy.
• In the case of Patient Leborgne, the left temporal lobe of the brain was implicated, causing language disorders.
• Neuropsychological Methods involve the use of different methods such as Cognitive Testing (CT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Electroencephalography (EEG), and Magnetoencephalography (MEG).
• Cognitive functions associated with the Parietal lobe of the brain include visuospatial ability, visuomotor skills, and body awareness.
• Disorders of the Parietal lobe of the brain include Parietal lobe dysfunction and Parietal lobe epilepsy.
• The lobes of the brain include the Frontal lobe, Parietal lobe, Temporal lobe, Occipital lobe, and Insular lobe.