Neuropsychological Assessment After Traumatic Brain Injury in Adults

This chapter considers in greater detail the value of neuropsychological assessment for monitoring the recovery of adults after significant traumatic brain injury (TBI) and for making treatment recommendations. The epidemiology of TBI, the typical neuropsychological impairments associated with TBI, the timing of evaluations, and expected outcomes in the course of recovery are reviewed. Finally, the use of cost-outcome methods to study the impact of neuropsychological assessment after TBI on health-care economics is considered. The neuropsychological assessment is unique in terms of the breadth of information obtained about the integrity of higher brain functions. Neuropsychological services are an accepted component of acute and postacute rehabilitation services for individuals with TBI. Cognitive remediation represents a special instance in which neuropsychological evaluation is essential. The necessary low tolerance for cognitive side effects associated with pharmaceutical interventions after TBI has led to a strong reliance on neuropsychological evaluation in drug trials.