Cognition & Brain Function Testing

What is cognitive or neuropsychological testing?

Cognitive and neuropsychological tests measure memory, language skills, math skills, visual and spatial skills, and other abilities related to mental functioning to help them diagnose a patient’s condition accurately. For example, people with Alzheimer’s disease often show changes in so-called executive functions (such as problem-solving), memory, and the ability to perform once-automatic tasks. People with ADHD on the other hand often exhibit changes in the core cognitive areas of memory, verbal ability and concentration, while the core cognitive function of reasoning (visuospatial processing, deductive reasoning, and planning) tends to be preserved. Specifically, they have difficulties with visuospatial working memory and working memory in general. The ability to temporarily hold information in memory, and manipulate or update it based on changing circumstance or demands, tends to be compromised. Verbal reasoning which is the ability to quickly understand and make valid conclusions about concepts tends to be affected as well in people with ADHD, as well as the ability to muster mental concentration and focus on relevant information in order to make a correct response despite interference or distracting information.

Objectively measuring cognition is a standard practice at our clinic and a key facet of our patient care. Cognitive abilities can change, even on a daily basis. This is not and IQ test and your brain cannot be defined by one number. In this sense, cognitive function is more like blood pressure than it is like height. That is to say, over the long-term it is more or less constant (assuming you stay healthy), however significant fluctuations may occur on a day to day basis depending on how and what you’ve been doing, your sleep habits, your stress level, your mood, and a multitude of other factors.

Measuring cognition before, during, and/or after specific interventions will allow you to gain evidence that the intervention is having the desired effects. Mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders have cognitive consequences. From complaints of brain fog to scientifically-proven deficits, a loss of cognitive clarity can make a patient’s recovery more difficult, leading to a downward spiral.

To accurately measure core elements of your cognitive function, including memory, attention, reasoning, and verbal abilities, we will ask you to complete 12 tasks that have been developed by leading neuroscientists over the past 25+ years, taken over 8 million times, and used in 300+ peer-reviewed studies of cognition.

The task selections are customized to meet your specific assessment needs, whether you suffer from: Autism, Early Alzheimer’s, Asperger Syndrome, Non-Alzheimer’s Dementia, Age-Related Decline, ADHD, PTSD, Dyslexia, Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety, or Concussion. For example, individuals who suffer from anxiety tend to score lower in short-term memory tasks, like Spatial Span and Paired Associates.

Therapy and medication that treat mental health conditions may help recover cognitive function as well- that is why it is crucial for psychiatrists to measure cognition to validate symptoms, plan treatments, and measure key outcomes that affect quality of life. Klein-Kraepelin Group achieves this by putting numbers to patients’ subjective symptoms by quickly measuring the cognitive domains key to their quality of life, such as memory, reasoning, verbal ability, and concentration.

can klein-kraepelin group help me obtain ACCoMMoDATIONS FOR STANDARDIZED EXAMS or my job?

Part of the application to a university or graduate school involves sitting for the LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, GRE, or SAT/ACT, etc.

Standardized exams play a big factor in the admissions process. Showing your true potential can be difficult if you have a learning disability such as dyslexia, suffer from a brain-behavioral syndrome such as ADHD, or suffer from an emotional disorder such as anxiety or depression. Because of this, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows for extra time on tests. Extended time testing or extra time testing varies from time-and-a-half to double time.

If you are burned out at work due to high stress levels or suffered a recent spike in depression or anxiety, we can help you get the accommodations that your case necessitates.

Klein-Kraepelin Group can provide cognitive testing in addition to full clinical evaluation for extended time on common standardized tests or your job functions. Remember this is not an IQ test because your brain cannot defined by one number. High stress levels, poor sleep habits, associated with excessive anxiety and mood swings can cause significant fluctuations in your baseline cognitive level. We will provide neuropsychological reports to send to the testing board or your employer for appropriate accommodations.