You may have heard of the term, but what is neuropsychiatry? This specialized field analyzes issues of the brain related to behavior, emotions, and cognition. Comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis become necessary when a condition in these areas causes abnormal or psychiatric problems.
What Occurs During a Neuropsychiatry Consultation?
Typically, a neurologist or psychiatrist refers patients to a neuropsychiatrist for consultation. The appointment usually involves a series of evaluations and tests. Depending on the person’s test results and medical history, consultation can last for at least two days.
In addition to gathering details about the person’s medical history, the neuropsychiatrist may also fill out a symptom checklist. He or she uses a rating scale to determine the severity of each symptom. Once the neuropsychiatrist analyzes the evaluation results, he or she can make a proper diagnosis and collaborate with other medical professionals to develop a therapeutic plan. Based on needs, plans can either be short or long term.
How Neuropsychiatry Works
Knowing how the procedure works is the best way of understanding neuropsychiatry. Typically, a thorough physical examination precedes a comprehensive neurological exam. Patients should be prepared to go through an intensive series of neurocognitive and psychological tests. These tests evaluate personality, thought patterns, and feelings. Additionally, more tests measure the person’s attention span, logical thinking, reaction time, and memory function.
Inconclusive results may require additional testing to get a more accurate condition.
Who Should Undergo Neuropsychiatry?
Neuropsychiatry can benefit individuals who are struggling with a variety of mental health challenges, including:
- Behavior or mood problems such as anger, depression, bipolar disorder and mania
- Cognitive problems with memory, attentiveness, and difficulty solving problems
- Degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
- Psychosis stemming from brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, lupus, epilepsy
- Seizures accompanied by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral difficulties
- Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy
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