Clinical Psych Chap 18 Keyterms

Impairment in sensory perception.

Impairment in language ability.

Impairment in the ability to perform certain voluntary movements.

A subcortical structure associated with motor coordination and the control of muscle tone, posture, and equilibrium.

A situation in which a blood vessel ruptures and the blood escapes onto brain tissue, either damaging or destroying it

Jarring of the brain sufficient to result in a momentary disruption of brain function.

Bruises.

result when the brain has been shifted from its normal position and pressed against the skull

A group of disorders—such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s chorea—that result from the degeneration of neurons in the central nervous system.

These disorders are characterized by progressive cerebral degeneration and disturbance in several behaviors or functions.

A disruption of consciousness often caused by exposure to toxins.

A method for interpreting neuropsychological test data that focuses on the difference between a patient’s scores on two separate tests

The notion that the cortex functions as a whole and that all areas of the brain contribute equally to overall intellectual functioning.

On the basis of this perspective, when one area of cortex is damaged, the functions of that area may be assumed by another area of cortex

The most recently developed part of the human brain

are associated with executive functions such as formulating, planning, and carrying out goal-directed behavior, monitoring and controlling behavior, and modulating emotions.

A theory that integrates the localization-of-function and equipotentiality perspectives.

This theory holds that any behavior is due to the interaction of several brain systems and that the nature of a behavioral deficit will depend on which functional system is affected as well as the localization of damage within that functional system

The most widely used neuropsychological test battery.

consists of several measures and is used to provide data about specific deficits, the probable localization of lesions, and whether lesions appear to be of gradual or sudden onset.

Although the reliability and validity of this battery have been supported, a significant disadvantage is the time required for administration.

A conference on clinical neuropsychology training that convened in September 1997

As a result of this conference, specific guidelines were offered for the graduate training, predoctoral internship, and postdoctoral training of future clinical neuropsychologists.

Cuts, tears, or ruptures

may occur when the skull has been breached by a bullet or other object.

The hemisphere of the brain that controls the right side of the body and for most people is more involved in the language functions, logical inference, and detail analysis.

The idea that certain portions of the brain are responsible for specific functions or behaviors

A neuropsychological test battery that assesses abilities over 11 subtest groupings

Studies have supported the reliability and diagnostic validity of the battery, which takes less time to administer than the Halstead-Reitan

Procedures (e.g., spinal taps, CAT scans, and functional MRIs) for detecting the presence and location of brain damage.

These procedures vary in their expense, their sensitivity, their invasiveness, and the risk they pose to the patient.

The assessment of brain functioning based on a person’s performance on noninvasive, standardized tests that are believed to be accurate and sensitive indicators of brain–behavior relationships.

The study of the relationship between brain function and behavior.

The portion of the cortex involved with visual processing and some aspects of visually mediated memory.

Blockages in blood vessels caused by clots. The vessels serving particular areas of the brain may become occluded, resulting in one type of “stroke.”

The portion of the cortex related to tactile and kinesthetic perception and understanding, spatial perception, and some language comprehension and processing.

Indicative of a specific disease orcondition.

A method of neuropsychological test interpretation in which the basic pattern of scores on tests is examined to see whether it matches a pattern that has been reliably associated with a specific neurological injury or impairment

In this approach, the neuropsychologist selects the tests to be administered to each patient based on his or her hypotheses about the case and may even alter the administration of one or more tests

In the context of neuropsychology, the treatment of patients with cognitive and behavioral impairment due to brain dysfunction or injury

may involve helping the patient “relearn” skills and/or changing the patient’s environment to best compensate for the impairment

a major function of neuropsychologists.

The hemisphere of the brain that controls the left side of the body and for most people is more involved in visual-spatial skills, the perception of direction, creativity, and musical activities.

In this approach, all referred patients are administered the same set of neuropsychological tests

The portion of the cortex that mediates linguistic expression, reception, and analysis and is involved in processing tones, sounds, rhythms, and meanings that are nonlanguage in nature

Abnormal tissue growths that may grow inside or outside the brain or spread to the brain from other areas of the body.

Symptoms are usually subtle at first and become more noticeable as the tumor grows and exerts pressure on surrounding areas of the brain.