10 – Neuropsychological Assessment (PART 2)

Acalculia

Inability to perform arithmetic calculations

Acopia

Inability to copy geometric designs

Agnosia

Deficit in recognizing sensory stimuli (e.g., auditory agnosia is difficulty in recognizing auditory stimuli)

Agraphia

Deficit in writing ability

Akinesia

Deficit in motor movements

Alexia

Inability to read

Amnesia

Loss of memory

Amusia

Deficit in ability to produce or appreciate music

Anomia

Deficit associated with finding words to name things

Anopia

Deficit in sight

Anosmia

Deficit in sense of smell

Aphasia

Deficit in communication due to impaired speech or writing ability

Apraxia

Voluntary movement disorder in the absence of paralysis

Ataxia

Deficit in motor ability and muscular coordination

Temporal lobes

These lobes contain auditory reception areas as well as certain areas for the processing of visual information. Damage to a temporal lobe may affect sound discrimination, recognition, and comprehension; music appreciation; voice recognition; and auditory or visual memory storage.

Occipital lobes

These lobes contain visual reception areas. Damage to an occipital lobe could result in blindness to all or part of the visual field or deficits in object recognition, visual scanning, visual integration of symbols into wholes, and recall of visual imagery.

Parietal lobes

These lobes contain reception areas for the sense of touch and for the sense of bodily position. Damage to a parietal lobe may result in deficits in the sense of touch, disorganization, and distorted self-perception.

Frontal lobes

These lobes are integrally involved in ordering information and sorting out stimuli. Concentration and attention, abstract-thinking ability, concept-formation ability, foresight, problem-solving ability, and speech, as well as gross and fine motor ability, may be affected by damage to the frontal lobes.

Thalamus

The thalamus is a kind of communications relay station for all sensory information transmitted to the cerebral cortex. Damage to the thalamus may result in altered states of arousal, memory defects, speech deficits, apathy, and disorientation.

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is involved in the regulation of bodily functions such as eating, drinking, body temperature, sexual behavior, and emotion. It is sensitive to changes in environment that call for a “fight or flight” response from the organism. Damage to it may elicit a variety of symptoms ranging from uncontrolled eating or drinking to mild alterations of mood states.

Cerebellum

Together with the pons (another brain site in the area of the brain referred to as the hindbrain), the cerebellum is involved in the regulation of balance, breathing, and posture, among other functions. Damage to the cerebellum may manifest as problems in fine motor control and coordination.

Reticular formation

In the core of the brain stem, the reticular formation contains fibers en route to and from the cortex. Because stimulation to this area can cause a sleeping organism to awaken and an awake organism to become even more alert, it is sometimes referred to as the reticular activating system. Damage to this area can cause the organism to sleep for long periods of time.

Limbic system

Composed of the amygdala, the cingulate cortex, the hippocampus, and the septal areas of the brain, the limbic system is integral to the expression of emotions. Damage to this area may profoundly affect emotional behavior.

Spinal cord

Many reflexes necessary for survival (such as withdrawing from a hot surface) are carried out at the level of the spinal cord. In addition to its role in reflex activity, the spinal cord is integral to the coordination of motor movements. Spinal cord injuries may result in various degrees of paralysis or other motor difficulties.%