ABSTRACT
The following cases are presented here to provide some clinical illustrations regarding the types of diagnostic and practical information that can be gleaned through the NSRP test battery. Each case vignette will containrief history, test scores,iscussion of diagnosis, and applications to everyday functioning. It is imperative to remember that neuropsychological test scores alone are not sufficient to diagnose dementia. Rather, the essential process is to incorporate test scores withatient's history. One way to utilize the case studies is to first omit the history and conclusion sections, and to look only at the test data. Match the patient's age and education to the normative data available. Then utilize three questions to guide your interpretation of test data: (1) Is there evidence of cognitive deficits? (2) What are the cognitive strengths and weaknesses? and (3) What practical recommendations can you make? After you have done this, then go back and review the history and conclusions and compare your answers with ours. While this section will apply most directly to psychologists who work in health care settings, mental health practitioners from all disciplines can benefit from exposure to how psychological test results can be applied to actual cases.
