Is There Any Way To Prepare For A Neuropsychological Evaluation?
Dr. Joshua Masino
Psychologist
Dallas, TX
Dr. Joshua Masino is a specialist in brain functions and how behavior and skills are related to brain structures and systems. His expertise includes working with patients with impairments due to traumatic brain injury, substance abuse disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, stroke, metabolic disorder, demyelinating disorder,... more
There are several things patients can do to help make the evaluation constructive:
- The patient should bring a current list of ALL medications and doses. Because medicines may change frequently for some persons, it is important to make sure the list is up to date.
- If the patient has difficulty providing information about their history, it is helpful for a family member or friend to accompany them for at least part of the clinical interview.
- It is helpful if the patient can provide records of previous neurodiagnostic testing (e.g., brain scans such as CT or MRI scans) and/or results from previous neuropsychological evaluations if completed at another hospital or institution.
- It is important to get a good night’s rest before evaluation. Patients who live far away might consider spending the evening prior to the evaluation at a local hotel or with friends or family rather than getting up and driving or flying most of the night to get to the appointment.
- Patients should not worry about whether they will “pass” the tests. Evaluations are not “pass or fail.” They are instead an assessment; they describe how well a person performs relative to peers.
