The Neuropsychology of Women


Book Description

The “Diversity in Clinical Neuropsychology” series is designed to highlight cultural and moderator variables involved in the study of brain-behavior relationships. Historically, the study of psychology and neuropsychology has focused on the male brain being the standard to which all or most variables are considered. The study of sex differences is perhaps the most provoking and far-reaching aspect of diversity because frequently women have unique assessment and treatment needs. For example, frontal lobe functioning tends to be more contextual for women than for men. These brain functions have behavioral counterparts that directly relate to how interventions may be tailor made to suit the female rather than male patient. The goal in neuropsychology is always to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes, and a cohesive summary of the neuropsychology of the female brain would raise awareness and cultural competency of clinicians in neuropsychology. Authors will focus on sex differences in the neuropsychological, cognitive, and development literature; ethnic and socioeconomic variables affecting diagnosis and treatment of women; and social/emotional and behavioral manifestations of neuropsychological sex differences.




The Women's Brain Book


Book Description

For women, understanding how the brain works during the key stages of life - in utero, childhood, puberty and adolescence, pregnancy and motherhood, menopause and old age - is essential to their health. Dr Sarah McKay is a neuroscientist who knows everything worth knowing about women's brains, and shares it in this fascinating, essential book. This is not a book about the differences between male and female brains, nor a book using neuroscience to explain gender-specific behaviours, the 'battle of the sexes' or 'Mars-Venus' stereotypes. This is a book about what happens inside the brains and bodies of women as they move through the phases of life, and the unique - and often misunderstood - effects of female biology and hormones. Dr McKay give insights into brain development during infancy, childhood and the teenage years (including the onset of puberty) and also takes a look at mental health as well as the ageing brain. The book weaves together findings from the research lab, case studies and interviews with neuroscientists and other researchers working in the disciplines of neuroendocrinology, brain development, brain health and ageing. This comprehensive guide explores the brain during significant life stages, including: In utero Childhood Puberty The Menstrual Cycle The Teenage Brain Depression and Anxiety Pregnancy and Motherhood Menopause The Ageing Brain




Neurovascular Neuropsychology


Book Description

Neurovascular diseases and conditions, and their associated risk factors, represent a significant cause of cognitive disability in the United States and throughout the world. In the USA alone there are 750,000 new strokes each year, representing the number one cause of disability in the country. Hypertension, found in approximately 50 million Americans, has been shown to be associated with alterations of cognitive function, even in the absence of stroke and dementia. Recent studies of neurovascular disease have now revealed that neuropsychological function may be a more sensitive measure of brain integrity than coordination, motor or sensory function and correlates will with functional outcome measures. Neurovascular Neuropsychology focuses on focal and diffuse neurovascular disease in addition to systemic conditions in which cognition and behavior have been uniquely associated with different pathologic states. With an increasing number of patients being treated by healthcare professionals, Neurovascular Neuropsychology will prove to be a strong reference to consult in regards to neuropsychological syndromes.




Fractured Minds


Book Description

Fractured Minds introduces the reader to clinical neuropsychology through vivid case descriptions of adults who have suffered brain damage. At one level, this is a book about the courage, humor, and determination to triumph over illness and disability that many "ordinary people" demonstrate when coping with the extraordinary stress of a brain disorder. On another level, it is a well-referenced and up-to-date textbook that provides a holistic view of the practice of clinical neuropsychology. Included are reader-friendly descriptions and explanations of a wide range of neurological disorders and neuroscientific concepts. Two introductory chapters are followed by 17 chapters that each focus on a specific disorder and include research, clinical assessment, rehabilitation, and a detailed case study. Disorders range across the full spectrum from common ones such as traumatic brain injury and dementia, to rare disorders such as autotopagnosia. Each of the 16 chapters retained from the first edition has been revised to reflect current research and clinical advances. Three new chapters on multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease incorporate discussion of important current topics such as genetically-transmitted diseases, genetic counseling, gene transplantation, functional neurosurgery, and the complex ethical issues that go hand-in-hand with these new techniques. This informative and engaging book will be of interest to students of clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and neurology, health professionals who work with neurological patients, neurological patients and their families, and lay readers who are simply fascinated by the mind and brain.




Gender and Our Brains


Book Description

A breakthrough work in neuroscience—and an incisive corrective to a long history of damaging pseudoscience—that finally debunks the myth that there is a hardwired distinction between male and female brains We live in a gendered world, where we are ceaselessly bombarded by messages about sex and gender. On a daily basis, we face deeply ingrained beliefs that sex determines our skills and preferences, from toys and colors to career choice and salaries. But what does this constant gendering mean for our thoughts, decisions and behavior? And what does it mean for our brains? Drawing on her work as a professor of cognitive neuroimaging, Gina Rippon unpacks the stereotypes that surround us from our earliest moments and shows how these messages mold our ideas of ourselved and even shape our brains. By exploring new, cutting-edge neuroscience, Rippon urges us to move beyond a binary view of the brain and to see instead this complex organ as highly individualized, profoundly adaptable and full of unbounded potential. Rigorous, timely and liberating, Gender and Our Brains has huge implications for women and men, for parents and children, and for how we identify ourselves.




Trouble in Mind


Book Description

In Trouble in Mind, neuropsychologist Jenni Ogden, author of Fractured Minds, transports the reader into the world of some of her most memorable neurological patients as she explores with compassion, insight, and vivid description the human side of brain damage. These are tales of patients who, as the result of stroke, brain tumor, car crash, or neurological disease, begin thinking and behaving strangely, and with their loved ones' support embark on the long journey to recovery, acceptance of disability and sometimes, death. There is Luke, the gang member who loses his speech but finds he can still sing his favorite blues number "Trouble in Mind," and HM, who teaches the world about memory and becomes the most studied single case in medical history. You will meet Julian, who misplaces his internal map of the human body, and Melody, a singer who risks losing her song when she undergoes brain surgery to cure her epilepsy. Then there is Kim with a severe head injury, and Sophie who has just enough time to put her house in order before Alzheimer's dementia steals her insight. For these and the many other patients whose stories are told in this book, the struggle to understand their disordered minds and disobedient bodies takes extraordinary courage, determination, and patience. For health professionals and researchers working with these patients, the ethical and emotional challenges can be as demanding as the intellectual and treatment decisions they make daily. Trouble In Mind is written in an accessible narrative style that is both accurate and intimate. It will be enjoyed by readers -- whether students, researchers, or professionals in mental health and neuroscience, patients with neurological disorders and their families, or general readers -- who want to learn more about brain disorders and the doctors who care for those who suffer them.




Cultural Diversity in Neuropsychological Assessment


Book Description

Cultural Diversity in Neuropsychological Assessment provides a platform for clinical neuropsychologists, psychologists, and trainees to bridge cultures and speak to each other about the ethnically diverse communities they serve throughout the world. It allows readers to peek into their clinical filing cabinets and examine how they worked with diverse individuals from indigenous and migrant communities of Arab, Asian, European, Israeli, Latin American and Caribbean, Persian, Russian, Sub-Saharan African, and North American origin. The book first reviews important foundations for working with diverse communities that include key knowledge, awareness, skills, and action orientation. It then provides a collection of cases for each cultural geographic region. Each section begins with an introductory chapter to provide a bird’s eye view of the historical and current state of clinical and research practice of neuropsychology in that region. Then, each chapter focuses on a specific community by providing surface and deep-level cultural background knowledge from the authors’ unique perspectives. A case study is then covered in depth to practically showcase an evaluation with someone from that community. This is followed by a summary of key strategic points, lessons learned, references, further readings, and a glossary of culture specific terminology used throughout the chapter. In the end, the appendix provides a list of culturally relevant tests and norms for some communities. This ground-breaking peer-reviewed handbook provides an invaluable clinical resource for neuropsychologists, psychologists, and trainees. It increases self-reflection about multicultural awareness and knowledge, highlights practical ways to increase cultural understanding in neuropsychological and psychological assessments, and sparks further discussion for professional and personal growth in this area.




The Neuropsychology of Men


Book Description

This timely text examines normative and pathological brain/behavior connections across the male lifespan, and how these findings can best inform research, intervention, and prevention. It spotlights possible etiologies for male-dominated pathology, including academic deficits and disorders relating to violence, as well as identifying men's psychological resilience and vulnerabilities throughout life. Clinical and social issues are intricately linked here, particularly in areas such as substance abuse, emotion processing, and sequelae of brain trauma. In these ways, the text moves on from the simplistic view of males as the standard in psychological studies while respecting complicated questions about biology and environment that have yet to be resolved. Since the inception of psychology, much research has focused specifically on men but few studies have offered distinctive interventions developed to help this unique male population. This volume fills the chasm left from many seminal studies. Among the featured topics: · Imaging and development: relevant findings in males. · Understanding the neuropsychology of autism spectrum disorders in men. · Understanding disorders of defiance, aggression, and violence in males. · Serving men with traumatic brain injuries. · Men at risk: special education and incarceration. · The neuropsychological basis of emotion and social cognition in men. The Neuropsychology of Men offers neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists an evidence-based framework for understanding male-specific cognitive and behavioral trends in the normative population, and for identifying and addressing challenges in boys and men outside the norm.




Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference


Book Description

Sex discrimination is supposedly a distant memory. Yet popular books, magazines and even scientific articles defend inequalities by citing immutable biological differences between the male and female brain. Why are there so few women in science and engineering, so few men in the laundry room? Well, they say, it's our brains.




The Neuropsychology of Psychopathology


Book Description

This clinical reference book presents state-of-the-science knowledge about the neurobiology and genetics of the major mental disorders and how this corresponds with their psychiatric features and neuropsychological traits. The text demonstrates how the application of neuropsychology to these disorders provides a more comprehensive foundation for greater accuracy in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. The book focuses on the neuropathological and pathophysiological basis of the various symptoms, emphasizing the biological basis of each disorder. This approach stresses the importance of looking at the other functional impacts of these manifestations (for example, cognitive deficits secondary to depression). The text compares adult versus child presentation of psychiatric disorders and covers the major forms of psychopathology including ADHD; Learning Disabilities; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Mood, Anxiety, Personality, and Schizophrenic Disorders; Cortical and Subcortical Dementias; and Delirium. The book is written for clinical professionals to increase diagnostic accuracy and intervention success and to provide a way to approach psychopathologies as disorders of the neurological system. Key Features: Provides state-of-the-science knowledge about the application of neuropsychological practice to the major forms of psychopathology Examines neurological and neuropsychological features of the major forms of psychopathology Demonstrates how the application of neurobiology and genetics to psychiatric disorders can increase accuracy of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment Considers adult versus child presentation of psychiatric disorders