Fractured Minds: A Case-Study Approach to Clinical Neuropsychology

Summary

An introduction to clinical neuropsychology through case studies of adults that have suffered brain damage, this engaging collection conveys a sense of the courage, humor, and determination to triumph over disability that many "ordinary people" demonstrate when coping with the extraordinary stress of a brain disorder. Two introductory chapters on basic neuroanatomy, neuropsychological concepts, and assessment are followed by fourteen chapters focusing on different disorders. Each chapter features sections on background theory and neuropathology, in addition to a detailed case study. Some of the chapters highlight the clinical assessment and rehabilitation of disorders such as head injury, epilepsy, aphasia, neglect, and dementia, while others emphasize research-based assessment of less common disorders, such as amnesia and the inability to recognize faces. Common neuropsychological tests are described, and ethical, cultural, and other issues that confront health professionals working with neurological patients are discussed. This book is intended for students of clinical and neuropsychology, health professionals treating neurological patients, neurological patients and their families, and lay readers curious about the mind and brain.