 Why do we
perform this assessment before surgery?
Great care is taken to minimize complications of
surgery to control epileptic seizures.
Neuropsychological assessment is
one of a series of diagnostic procedures performed before
surgery to help the surgeon plan a course of action that will give the
greatest relief from seizures while minimizing the likelihood of
impaired memory or cognition.
Neuropsychological assessment has a key role in evaluating candidates for temporal
lobe surgery, particularly, since the temporal lobes are involved in
memory functioning, and surgery to the temporal lobes can be associated
with loss of memory ability.
The degree of deficit can be predicted from careful
studies of presurgical abilities and a careful understanding of the
causes and course of the seizure disorder. Neuropsychological
assessment, along with imaging and other studies performed by your
neurologist are used by the team to plan your surgery and to assess the
outcome of your procedure.
Patients at high risk of a
significant memory decline can be counseled pre-operatively and can be
trained in compensatory strategies prior to the surgery when
appropriate.
What will happen during the
evaluation?
The doctor will conduct a careful interview with the patient and with
family members, who are an important source of information. The testing
phase of the evaluation is conducted by a psychometrist who has
specialized training in the administration of neuropsychological tests.
You will be asked to answer questions, write a bit, perform
calculations, solve problems, remember words and figures, copy designs,
fill out questionnaires, and carry out other similar tasks.
Does it hurt?
No. There are no painful or invasive procedures.
How long will it take?
Because we thoroughly study many aspects of brain functioning, the
evaluation will take the better part of a day.
Do I need to bring anything?
Dress comfortably and bring reading glasses if you use them. As our
office can sometimes get chilly, a sweater might be a good idea.
What
about medications and food?
No restrictions. Take your normal medications and eat normally.
What do you do with the information
you collect?
Your surgical team uses the information along with information
obtained from imaging and EEG studies to determine the benefits and
risks of surgery. Decisions about the nature of the surgery depend
upon the findings of the presurgical evaluations you undergo. After the evaluation results are analyzed,
your surgeon
will meet with you and your family to discuss the findings.
Cancellations and rescheduling
We only schedule one patient at a time for neuropsychological
assessment. As we have reserved all of our practice resources for an
entire day
exclusively for you, we reserve the right to charge you for missed
appointments or for failure to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours
in advance.
Want more information?
We will be happy to explain your procedure to you in detail and
answer any questions you may have. Call us at 941 953-4313.
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