Neuropsychological Evaluations

Dr. Mabel Lopez is a trained neuropsychologist with a Ph.D., Internship, Post Doctoral Residency, and 10 years of independent clinical experience in neuropsychology. She completed both pediatric and geriatric neuropsychology training during her doctoral program, internship, and residency.

Cognitive assessment, particularly through neuropsychological evaluations, is used to evaluate cognitive (“thinking”) processes. This type of assessment is often necessary to determine the underlying cause of academic, social/emotional problems, memory issues, or other challenges in daily living.

Neuropsychological evaluations typically assess strengths and weaknesses across various cognitive domains, including attention, learning, memory, visual-perceptual and visual-motor skills, language skills, processing speed, and executive function skills (such as reasoning, organization, and planning).

In children, neuropsychological testing can help identify if a child has specific difficulties with learning, reasoning, or attention. Additionally, a neuropsychological evaluation can clarify areas of cognitive strengths and weaknesses in children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation can guide educators on how best to accommodate and remediate specific weaknesses while leveraging strengths, which are often incorporated into Individual Education Plans (IEPs).

For adults, neuropsychological evaluations play a crucial role, especially after brain injuries. A significant part of Dr. Mabel Lopez's practice focuses on conducting thorough neuropsychological evaluations for individuals who may have experienced neurological injuries from trauma (like sports concussions, motor vehicle accidents, or falls), strokes, toxic exposure, or other brain disorders (such as hydrocephalus or Parkinson’s Disease). These neuropsychological assessments, which include established testing batteries, quantify the range of normal and impaired behaviors, identify potential rehabilitation strengths, and detail areas of deficit, allowing for comparisons with expected outcomes for various neurological illnesses or injuries. In some instances, a determination of likely permanency can be made, while in others, repeated assessments may be necessary to monitor recovery, treatment responses, or complications.

Adults requiring neuropsychological testing may also include college students seeking testing accommodations, such as extra time for exams or other educational support, and often request evaluations for adult ADHD. Formal testing, typically within two years of the request, is usually mandated by colleges and universities, as well as national testing boards like Law School entrance examinations, GREs, and Medical School entrance exams. Neuropsychological evaluations in these scenarios are often supported by documentation of previous treatments, school accommodations, or other academic records. Mild forms of ADHD or Specific Learning Disorders may not become apparent until the increased demands of high school or college arise.

In older adults, neuropsychological testing plays a significant role in diagnosing dementia by documenting cognitive deficits, which are key criteria for diagnosis. Differential diagnosis of dementia is essential for effective treatment and understanding disease progression. Given that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, assessments often focus on memory impairment. Many established tests for assessing, detecting, and characterizing memory deficits have recognized predictive value for dementia diagnoses. By evaluating other cognitive domains, patterns associated with other common dementia causes (such as Vascular, Lewy Body, Parkinson, or Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus) may also be identified.

Ultimately, neuropsychological testing, alongside other assessments, can aid in establishing a differential diagnosis among several possible disorders.