It has been hypothesized that a disproportionate percentage of the blind population are learning disabled. In the past, norms and technology were not available to assess in a cost effective manner the blind client's neuropsychological functioning. Norms for the Wide Range Achievement Test - Revised (WRAT-R2) are now available for a blind population without any neuropsychological dysfunctioning. This study utilized the adapted WRAT-R2 and the Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation System (CVES), a neuropsychological test battery adapted for the blind, to investigate the possibility that learning disabilities are present in the adult blind population. Suspected learning disabled, blind subjects were compared with normal blind subjects. There were significant neuropsychological differences between the two groups.

Pediatric neuropsychological evaluations are often used to help with diagnostic clarification, aid with treatment planning, and propose recommendations. Yet, little is known about the effects that a neuropsychological evaluation may have on psychosocial outcome and functioning. The present study sought to replicate customer satisfaction results and recommendation adherence results from previous studies while including a longitudinal measure of psychosocial functioning to determine change over time in a pre-test post-test design. Parents of children who underwent a neuropsychological evaluation between May 2016 and December 2020 were invited to complete a survey including the consumer satisfaction questionnaire and treatment adherence questions. They were then sent the Behavioral Assessment System for Children – 3rd Edition (BASC-3). Parents provided consent for access to their children's medical records to extract baseline BASC-3 scores as well as other demographic information. Results indicated that parents were very satisfied with the neuropsychological evaluation. Recommendation adherence ranges from an average of 48% for school counseling and 89% for autism therapies. Changes in psychosocial functioning were only detected on the internalizing index of the BASC from baseline to follow-up, t=2.63, p=0.01. A significant correlation was found between time since evaluation and change in the adaptive functioning index of the BASC-3, Pearson r=-0.36, p=0.002.

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京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(人間健康科学) / 甲第24540号 / 人健博第111号 / 新制||人健||8(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科人間健康科学系専攻 / (主査)教授 澤本 伸克, 教授 稲富 宏之, 教授 髙橋 良輔 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Human Health Sciences / Kyoto University / DFAM

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Regardless of the reason, many patients/clients do not have access to face-to-face medical, neuropsychological, or mental health consultation, assessment, or treatment (Cowain, 2001). The term Remote Neuropsychological Assessment (RNA) has been proposed by Browndyke to denote the general use of telecommunication and Internet-based technologies in neuropsychological assessment and practice (as cited in Schatz & Browndyke, 2002). RNA (Telemedicine) offers a plausible, potentially cost-effective solution to individuals in need of medical, neuropsychological, or mental health consultation, assessment, or treatment that are located in geographical areas away from the specialist (Armstrong, 2006; Berman, 2005; Cowain, 2001; Jacobsen, Sprenger, Andersson, & Krogstad, 2003). The purpose of this study was to examine if test performance for RNA administration of the Cognistat is comparable to test performance for the pencil-paper administration. A one-way repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to analyze the data. The main effect for administration modality was not significant, F(9, 126) = .375, p = .945. The present study demonstrated the utility of a widely used neurobehavioral screening test that provides a differentiated profile of cognitive status can now reliably be used through a video-conferencing administration. The importance of this finding is that a more comprehensive detection of deficits in multiple domains of cognitive functioning for screening purposes is now possible remotely.

A neuropsychological examination is often used in tandem with other measures to confirm the diagnosis of idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) and to assess improvement in cognitive functioning after a lumbar puncture test. Improvement in symptoms is thought to predict benefit from installation of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt that redirects CSF from the brain. Although the 72-hour external lumbar drain (ELD) has long been the gold-standard drainage procedure, hospitals are increasingly opting for the high-volume lumbar puncture, during which 50ml of CSF is released over an hour before the patient is tested for improvement in symptoms. The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the changes in cognitive performance produced by the two LP procedures and to compare the results produced by each procedure. In a review of medical records, 40 patients met criteria for inclusion. Cognitive functioning in the 72-hour ELD (n = 10) group was compared to changes in patients in the HVLP group, in terms of baseline level of functioning and post-drain changes. Statistical methods used to determine change included ANOVA and Reliable Change Indices. Dominant-hand Grooved Pegboard Test showed significant change after lumbar puncture, with higher mean change in the 72-hour ELD group. 72-hour ELD patients had a slightly higher rate of Reliable Change than HVLP patients. Cognitive changes were bi-directional in both groups. Results suggest that changes in cognitive functioning after lumbar puncture occur in a minority of patients, regardless of procedure type, and may have low predictive value for VPS benefit.

Clinical experience has shown that patients performing the Grooved Pegboard Test have difficulty maintaining the manualized right-to-left placement strategy with their left hand. This study sought to investigate possible differences in placement time on the Grooved Pegboard task between participants using the standardized left hand approach and a reversed manualized left hand placement strategy (i.e., left-to-right). The participants included 63 male and female undergraduate volunteers between the ages of 18 and 25 years. All participants had no history of neurologic disease/trauma, or conditions that would affect motor functioning of the right and left upper extremities. Data were analyzed using a 3-way mixed-design ANOVA. Results revealed a significant main effects for gender (F(1, 59) = 5.215, p = .026) and handedness (F(1, 59) = 6.362, p = .014). Of primary interest was the main effect for placement direction, which was not significant, F(1, 59) = .120, p = .731. No significant interaction was observed (all p > .40). Recommendations for the use of this test in applied neuropsychological settings are offered.

No description available.

No description available.