Neuropsychological Testing

Unlock insights for a brighter tomorrow

What is Neuropsychological Testing?

Neuropsychological testing evaluates how your brain functions by assessing cognitive abilities, memory, problem-solving skills, attention, and emotional well-being. This detailed understanding enables us to diagnose disorders and find the most effective treatments.

What Our Neuropsychological Services Include

Assessing Damage of Known Problems

If a patient has already received a diagnosis that involves the brain, a neuropsychological evaluation can help pinpoint ongoing issues. For example, a practitioner may test a stroke victim to see which parts of the brain are affected.

These types of exams can help patients with several disorders, including:

Learning and Developmental Disorders

If a child is failing to meet critical developmental milestones or has difficulty learning, neuropsychological testing can help find the problem and equip parents to pursue the best intervention. Diagnoses include:

Mood Disorders

When a patient has unexplained and extreme mood swings, a care team may recommend neuropsychological testing. Diagnoses include:

Differential Diagnosis

Patients may present with symptoms that could result from any number of disorders. The care team’s doctors and mental health professionals may be unsure what they need to test for. For example, a doctor may not know if someone’s memory loss is due to early onset Alzheimer’s or a TBI. In this situation, we may run various tests to rule out specific disorders or get confirmation of others.

Benefits of Neuropsychological Testing Services

Comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations are highly beneficial for understanding how the brain functions. As such, they’re essential to gain insight into psychiatric disorders and help neuropsychologists create specialized training or treatment planning to enhance brain health. Here are the main benefits of these testing services:

Accurate Diagnosis: A thorough neuropsychological evaluation allows clinical neuropsychologists and other professionals to understand the root cause of your issues with thinking, understanding, emotional functioning, etc. More often than not, neurological conditions or disorders like ADHD have overlapping symptoms. A neuropsychological assessment helps healthcare providers determine the best treatment plan and prescribe medication accordingly.
Personalized Suggestions: Neuropsychological assessments further help professionals understand brain behavior relationships, strengths and weaknesses, thinking skills, and other core areas to suggest tailored treatment strategies.
Comprehensive Treatment: Another major advantage of these tests is how they enable collaboration. Healthcare providers can share test reports with family members, educators, counselors, and other providers to work closely and help patients perform daily tasks better, maintain self-control, hone motor skills, and, ultimately, ensure a healthier daily life.
Strategize for the Future: Mental health treatment relies heavily on future planning to work best. Proper testing can help identify the need for future testing appointments, which strengths and weaknesses to focus on, and how to plan for rehab, among other benefits.

How Neuropsychological Testing Services Work

Assessment

A trained neuropsychologist uses a series of specialized tests and interviews to assess cognitive functions, including memory, attention, language, reasoning, and executive functions.

Diagnosis

The neuropsychologist analyzes the results to diagnose brain-related conditions such as ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries.

Types of Neuropsychological Tests

Neuropsychologists typically separate their evaluations into seven categories based on the skills tested. The categories are:

Memory

Human memory has five distinct components: semantic, episodic, procedural, priming, and short-term. Memory-focused tests can examine one or more memory types at once.

Language

Reading, speaking, and writing functions may diminish after patients experience TBIs, strokes, seizures, or other brain-impacted ailments. Language tests identify the presence and extent of difficulties.

Anxiety

Neuropsychological tests focused on intelligence benchmark the results to healthy individuals of similar age, education, or even occupation. There are many types of intelligence tests that are often conducted in sequence to gain a broad understanding of a patient’s cognitive abilities.

Executive Function

These tests evaluate a person’s ability to complete complex tasks, including problem-solving, planning, organization, and selective attention. The specific type of test recommended usually depends on the suspected or diagnosed cognitive issues.

Visuospatial

These tests cover the three areas of cognition and how they interact with each other:

Visual Perception: The brain's ability to interpret and make sense of visual information received from the eyes by recognizing and understanding objects, colors, shapes, and movements.
Visual Integration: The process of combining visual information with other sensory input and prior knowledge to create a coherent understanding of one's environment.
Visual Construction: The cognitive ability to organize and manipulate visual information to form complex patterns and images, often used in tasks like drawing, assembling puzzles, or navigating spaces.

Dementia-Specific

Dementia is an extremely nuanced disorder that requires unique diagnostic testing. Neuropsychologists may use the Clinical Dementia Rating and the Dementia Rating Scale to determine whether and to what extent a patient has dementia.

Multiple Functions

Some neuropsychological exams assess several of the above-mentioned categories all at once. For example, the Cognistat (formerly known as the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Exam) evaluates all of the following areas of behavior:

Why Choose South Coast Community Services for Neuropsychological Services

Early Detection

Identifying learning disabilities and memory disorders as soon as possible allows us to intervene more effectively, ultimately leading to better outcomes. Our approach is proactive, focusing on timely action to prevent escalation.

Integration

South Coast is the only fully integrated mental health provider in the greater Los Angeles area. Our integrated approach includes neuropsychological testing, psychiatry, and therapy to deliver convenient, coordinated care.

Experience

For over 40 years, we’ve specialized in treating severe mental illness and behavioral issues. Our mental health professionals use their deep understanding to diagnose effectively, ensuring that each patient receives care grounded in decades of expertise and a profound understanding of mental health challenges.

Insurances We Accept

We accept private insurance, Medi-Cal, and other coverage options depending on the mental health services you receive. If you don’t have insurance, we offer private pay options, super billing, and flexible payment methods, including cash and credit cards.

MEDI-CAL

MAGELLAN

KAISER

CIGNA EVERNORTH

HEALTH NET

AETNA

No matter your situation, we’ll work with you to ensure you access the care you need.

Neuropsychological Testing Services FAQs

Who should consider neuropsychological testing services?

A neuropsychological assessment is for anyone, from children to adults, facing difficulties with memory, learning, attention, or fluctuating moods. Moreover, testing services prove beneficial when prior test results have been incorrect or families want a deeper understanding of the issues, their complexity, and treatment plans.

How long does neuropsychological testing take?

The duration of a neuropsychological evaluation depends on factors such as the patient’s prior psychological history, the complexity of the assessment, their age, and other related concerns. On average, a neuropsychological test can last anywhere between three and six hours, often requiring multiple sessions to understand the conditions thoroughly.

Can neuropsychological testing be done through telehealth?

Yes! At SCCS, we offer comprehensive neuropsychological testing services via telehealth, allowing families to access the required evaluation and care virtually. While specific tests and activities may require in-person involvement, our experienced professionals are available via telehealth for initial discussions and diagnosis, running feedback sessions, suggesting treatment roadmaps, and conducting parent interviews.

How should I prepare for a neuropsychological evaluation?

Being well-rested before a neuropsychological test is key. Make sure you’ve eaten and slept well, and also carry any medications or audiovisual aids you’re using. We also recommend having essential documents readily available, such as prior test results, evaluation reports, and medical history paperwork, so that our mental health professionals have a complete picture before beginning the evaluation.

What can I expect after neuropsychological testing?

After your test, you can expect a thorough report that includes the evaluation results, any applicable diagnoses, and personalized recommendations to help you move forward. Our professionals strive for compassionate care and ongoing support, so they will work with you to help you understand the findings, decide on the right treatment plans, and collaborate with your support system to ensure consistent progress.