Phone: (312) 996-6217
University of Illinois at Chicago
Neuropsychology Division
912 S. Wood Street 8th floor
Chicago, IL 60612

Clinical Neuropsychology services are offered by the Center for Cognitive Medicine. The Neuropsychology Service provides comprehensive assessments for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients for whom impairments of cognitive or neuropsychiatric functioning are evident or suspected. Our services include outpatient evaluation and inpatient consultation services. Neuropsychological assessment involves a systematic evaluation of higher cognitive abilities such as intelligence, academic skill, memory, language, attention, problem-solving ability, and visual-motor skills, as well as sensorimotor and personality/emotional functioning. Neuropsychologists are licensed psychologists who specialize in understanding the brain-behavior relationship.

Adult Services

The Neuropsychology Service can provide assessment and treatment recommendations for a wide range of conditions that may affect functioning, including:

• Suspected memory problems

• Cognitive and emotional effects of various neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), brain tumors, Parkinson's disease, etc.

• Effects of traumatic brain injury

• Differential diagnosis of suspected cognitive decline in elderly patients

• Alterations in mental status associated with various medical conditions, such as metabolic disorders, HIV infection, cardiac complications, liver disease, toxic exposures, lupus, etc.

• Attention-Deficit Disorders
• Learning Disorders

• Various psychiatric conditions

Neuropsychological assessment contributes to clinical decisions about:

• Differential diagnosis
• Prognosis and disposition planning
• Rehabilitation issues
• Cognitive and emotional factors influencing functioning
• Ability to return to work
• Ability to function independently
• Tracking of changes in mental status over time

Pediatric Services

Pediatric neuropsychology is a field of study and clinical application concerned with the relationship among the developing brain, behavior, and skill acquisition. These skills range from reaching developmental milestones at expected ages to acquiring knowledge in school and to forming social relationsips. Clinical assessment provides a cognitive profile of strengths and weaknesses of a child in the context of normal or abnormal development, medical, psychiatric, and neurological conditions. This service specializes in ages birth to five years of age for neurodevelopment evaluation and in school aged children to young adults in college for neuropsychological evaluation.

Unlike school and psychoeducational assessments, which are often performed to determine eligibility for special education programs, a neuropsychological or neurodevelopmental evaluation utilizes a broader, more comprehensive approach involving multiple aspects of brain function. In particular, assessment of memory, executive skills, motor, language, academic skills, and perception as well as behavior and emotion are used to assist in better understanding a child's function. Interpretation of test results and recommendations can be used by teachers, tutors, therapists, and physicians to provide treatment and interventions tailored to the child's unique needs.

The Pediatirc Neuropsychology Service can provide assessment and treatment recommendations for a wide range of symptoms or conditions, including:

• Global developmental delay
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Poor acquisition of basic academic skills (learning letters & numbers, reading, writing, math) or changes in school performance
• Difficulties learning and remembering new information
• Excessive time needed to complete assignments, projects, or homework on time
• Brain injury from an accident
• Disease, birth trauma, or inborn developmental problem that affects brain function
• Disruption of cognitive and emotional function due to medical or neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, PKU, hydrocephalus, lead poisoning)
• Problems with concentration and focus

Pediatric Neuropsychological and Neurodevelopmental assessment contribute to clinical decisions about:

• Differential diagnosis
• Early intervention
• Psychoeducational interventions
• Individual Education Program(IEP)
• Tutoring
• Cognitive and emotional factors influencing school and daily function
• Accommodations Plan
• Impact of medication on functioning
• Tracking the cognitive and educational impact of birth trauma or congenital disorders over time

The Neuropsychology Services also offers training programs at the graduate, internship and residency levels.

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