Who is this neuropsychologist? (Neuropsychologist) | Let's understand simply

Have you or someone you know suddenly experienced memory loss, difficulty concentrating, or a significant change in behavior? Sometimes these things can be caused by problems in the brain. That's when we need the help of a neuropsychologist. You may have heard this name, but you may not know exactly who they are or what they do. Don't worry, we'll talk about it in simple terms today.

Simply put, who is this Neuropsychologist?

A neuropsychologist is a healthcare professional who specializes in how certain brain conditions affect your behavior and cognitive skills . This means they have a deep understanding of the relationship between our brains and our behavior.

Think of our brain as the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer. If something goes wrong with it, it can have a profound effect on our daily activities, just like the entire computer system goes haywire. A neuropsychologist studies what that effect is.

These are the things they pay particular attention to:

• General intellect: Your general knowledge and ability to understand.
• Attention and concentration: The ability to focus the mind on one thing.
• Processing speed: How quickly the brain understands and responds to information.
• Language skills: Things like speaking and understanding written words.
• Learning and memory abilities: The ability to learn new things and remember old things.
• Reasoning and problem-solving: How to find a solution to a problem when it arises.
• Visuospatial abilities: Abilities such as understanding what you see, estimating distance, and finding your way.
• Mood and personality: Changes in the way you feel and behave.

There are two main types of neuropsychologists.

1. Cognitive neuropsychologists: These people don't work directly with patients. They do research. That is, they find new things about the relationship between the brain and behavior. Their research is what advances this field.

2. Clinical neuropsychologists: These are the people who work directly with us. If you have a problem, you'll see someone like this. They'll do a variety of tests to assess how your brain is functioning. They'll then work with your healthcare team to help you develop a treatment plan that's right for you.

Why do you need to see a Neuropsychologist?

You usually don't have to go directly to see a neuropsychologist. Your family doctor (Primary Care Physician) or a neurologist will refer you for neuropsychological testing .

This is done if your doctor notices an unexplained change in your thinking, memory, or behavior. For example, if you suddenly lose your memory, have trouble concentrating, slur your words when you speak, or if there is a significant change in your behavior, this test can help find the cause.

These changes can have a variety of medical, neurological, psychological, or genetic causes. A neuropsychologist can help you determine the exact cause by performing these tests.

These are some of the main conditions they test for:

• Concussion and traumatic brain injury: Problems that occur after a blow to the head.
• Epilepsy: The disease that we all know causes 'fits'.
• Brain cancer
• Stroke
• Neurodegenerative disorders: For example, Alzheimer's disease.
• Movement disorders: For example, Parkinson's disease.

What exactly does a neuropsychologist do?

Imagine that a doctor referred you to a Neuropsychologist. What happens there?

A clinical neuropsychologist conducts a series of neuropsychological exams to understand how the different parts and systems of your brain work. This is like checking the engine of a car.

These tests are very interesting. They give you different tasks to do.

• Maybe they will ask you to memorize a list of words and repeat them.
• They look at a picture and ask you to draw it again.
• They are given different shapes (blocks) and asked to make a pattern from them.
• Solve puzzles.
• This includes many things, such as computer-based tests, oral questions, and written assignments.

With each of these small tasks, they gain information about a specific cognitive function in your brain.

Let's take a closer look at what they do during an investigation:

1. Gathering information: First, he or she will talk to you and ask about your medical history, mental health history, and current symptoms.

2. Asking family: Talk to your closest family members and ask them what they have noticed about the changes in your behavior. Because some things are more noticeable to those closest to us than we are.

3. Conducting tests: After that, you will be given various tests and tasks as mentioned earlier. This may take several hours.

4. Preparing a report: After collecting all this information, they will create a detailed report. It will clearly state which parts of your brain's cognitive processes (cognition) are working well and which parts are weak. This report will be given to you and your doctor.

5. Interpretation of results: Finally, they will explain the results of these tests to you in simple terms, and explain how your strengths and weaknesses may affect your daily life.

This report is very important for the doctors who treat you. It gives them a complete picture of your condition. This is a great help in deciding what kind of treatment to give next.

What is the difference between a Neuropsychologist, Psychologist and Neurologist?

These three names are somewhat similar, which confuses many people. Let's take a look at the main differences between these three in this table.

How to become a Neuropsychologist?

It's worth knowing this too. This is a very long and dedicated journey. It usually takes about 10-13 years to become an expert in this field.

• Degree: First, you need to obtain a Bachelor's degree in a subject such as psychology.
• Doctoral degree: After that, you need to complete a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology. This takes several years.
• Internship: During your PhD, you will be required to complete a one-year full-time internship in the field of neuroscience.
• Post-doctoral fellowship: After the doctorate, you need to receive another two years of specialized training in the same field.
• Exams and licenses: Only then can you pass the exams and obtain a license to work in this field.

It is because of such a long education and training process that they gain such a deep knowledge of the brain and behavior.

It can be very scary to feel a change in the way your brain works. But remember, a Neuropsychologist can help you understand and cope with these changes. They are experts in their field. Together with your doctor, they can help you develop the treatment plan that is best for you.

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