This work is designed as a textbook for students of psychology who wish to specialize in the field of neuropsychology. Therefore, the focus is on the clinical application aspects of neuroscience. Neuropsychology deals with the functions and disorders of the brain. This includes diagnosing and treating many different functional limitations. These include reasoning, intelligence, memory, language, perception, motor skills, attention, and personality and behavioral changes. All of these functions are associated with a functioning nervous system and brain and can be disrupted as a result of accidents or illness. Thus neuropsychology represents an interdisciplinary subfield of applied clinical psychology and neuroscience.
In this vibrant, easy-to-read book, Eric Kasten and Annette Müller-Alcazar describe the basics of neuroscience and the clinical problems that arise. Neuroanatomical facts and neurophysiological processes are presented concisely in about 50 pages. It is also about the pharmacological effects on different brain functions. Not surprisingly, the very broad knowledge of neuroscience can only be briefly touched on in this way. For a true understanding, the reader should also refer to the extensive specialized literature that exists.
This is followed by the basics of neuropsychological diagnosis and treatment. This not only relates to clinical procedures, but the authors also describe the practical importance of early rehabilitation, counseling of patients’ relatives and professional reintegration. All of this is important for patients and family members, as well as symptomatic treatment. The two main chapters describe the different disorders dealt with in neuropsychiatric diagnosis and treatment in about 200 pages. As would be expected, the clinical picture covers a very wide range: from basic disturbances of motor and sensory functions (eg vision, hearing, smell and taste) and attention to pathological limitations of language, speech, learning and memory to psychological changes after brain damage. Other areas of application are symptoms of patients with intellectual disabilities, ADHD, developmental disorders and dementia. More psychological clinical pictures also belong to the field of neuropsychology: schizophrenia, delusions as well as mood disorders, pathological changes in personality and phobias or anxiety disorders show a strong involvement of altered psychobiological mechanisms.
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