Neuropsychological assessment is an in-depth test of the cognitive functioning of the brain. Cognitive functioning deals with an individual’s capacity to learn, think, problem-solve, and ability to concentrate. It also assesses the individual’s ability to process various information, including behavior. Virtual neuropsych evals remotely allow you to evaluate the brain’s normal functioning and identify psychiatric disorders through telemedicine.
What Can a Neuropsychological Assessment Tell About Your Brain?
This test can answer various questions like:
- Virtual neuropsych evals check cognitive function integrity:
It will help identify the severity of the cognitive dysfunction. These tests also give some baseline to check how effective the treatment is, including how it has affected the cognitive functions post-evaluation.
- Differential Diagnosis:
Usually, a differential diagnosis is done to identify two conditions with similar symptoms. It leads to the accurate identification of a condition, which it is not identifiable under normal conditions. Sometimes depression may be a reason that leads to disorder in the cognitive function of the brain.
- Treatment Planning:
A virtual Neuropsych evals help the doctor decide on the patient’s correct treatment plan. Since differential diagnosis assists in identifying the exact problem, the doctor can finalize the therapeutic intervention strategy based on accurate evaluation.
What To Expect From Neuropsychological Evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation helps to treat a condition indirectly. In other words, it means a diagnosis report helps to identify and treat conditions like:
- Alzheimer’s.
- Traumatic brain injury.
- Dementia.
- Seizure.
- Cognitive impairment that is not identifiable clearly.
- Genetic disorders or ones that affect the central nervous system.
- Tumor in the brain.
How Is A Neuropsychological Test Done?
Neuropsychologists may ask certain questions about your state of mind, and symptoms before they start treatment plans for you. If your child is taking treatment, the healthcare provider will ask you questions about your child’s behavior.
Following this process, they may proceed to interview to understand the exact situation. They will check your behavior at home and place of work. It is a process to determine any behavioral changes.
If any family member accompanies you they will interview him too. They may interview you and your wife in case your child is getting treated for cognitive disorders. Based on the concerns you shared with your healthcare provider, they will thoroughly investigate suspected changes in behavior.
Once this step is over your doctor will determine the type of test to identify the actual reason causing the change in the cognitive function. A psychometrist under the guidance of the neuropsychologist will give you the test. The test may check your ability in reading, and writing, the speed at which you complete an action, and your attention span. It also checks whether you can solve puzzles, and how well you respond to the information presented in the computer.
No one will get every question right. It is a test to assess your pluses and minuses. Answer every question genuinely to get accurate results. After this, your doctor will evaluate the scores and finalize your treatment plan.
How Should I Prepare For The Exam?
- Sleep peacefully the night before you meet the doctor.
- Don’t skip breakfast, have it on time.
- Don’t skip the medicines prescribed by your doctor.
- If you have already done any test show the doctor the results.
Wrapping Up:
In short, a virtual neuropsych evals, allows doctors to assess a patient’s cognitive function remotely. The evaluation process starts with the patient filling out five to six questionnaires. These tests will help to diagnose the underlying mental condition of a patient. Once these tests are over the doctors start prescribing medicines and strategies for independent living.