Neuropsychology

Some medical conditions can impact your brain health and cause changes in your thinking. If you have one of these conditions, you might notice changes in attention, memory, problem-solving, or other areas. 

At UVA Health, we have neuropsychologists to help patients with these issues. These experts specialize in brain function and psychology. If you or a loved one is dealing with brain function changes, we can help.  

Who Can Benefit From Neuropsychological Testing? 

We see patients with many conditions, including: 

• Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders 
• Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders 
• Stroke or other neurovascular problems 
• Brain cancer 
• Central nervous system infection  
• Concussion and traumatic brain injury 
• Multiple sclerosis 
• Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy 
• Organ transplant candidates 

If you have one of these conditions and have concerns about your thinking, ask your healthcare team for a referral for our neuropsychology services. 

What to Expect from Testing 

The first step is testing. A neuropsychological evaluation gives us the information we need to understand the challenges you're facing.  

During testing, we’ll check your brain in terms of:  

• Attention 
• Concentration 
• Coping 
• Learning new information and tasks 
• Memory  
• Mood 
• Organizing 
• Planning 
• Reasoning 
• Speech and language 
• Understanding and solving problems 

We’ll also ask you about sleep, exercise, and medications. These can impact brain health. 

Have more questions about neuropsychological testing? See frequently asked questions. 

Improving Your Brain Health

Based on your testing results, we can offer recommendations to improve your brain health and make daily tasks involving thinking easier.  

Sharing the results with your healthcare team will help your providers understand how your brain is functioning, provide the best treatment, and connect you with any extra support you need.