Episode 20 | The Interplay Between Cerebrovascular Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease – With Dr. Adam Brickman
Adam Brickman, Ph.D., returns to discuss the involvement of white matter disease in Alzheimer’s disease progression and clinical presentation. Dr. Brickman discusses his research on the presence of biomarkers of cerebrovascular disease (e.g., white matter hyperintensities), which are present in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Although cerebrovascular disease is traditionally associated with its own unique cognitive profile, Dr. Brickman discusses evidence suggesting that the cognitive deficits and underlying etiologies often commingle and complicate our case conceptualization. Additionally, he proposes the integral role that cerebrovascular disease may play in predicting (and possibly initiating) disease progression and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.
Episode 29 | The Art and Science of Delivering Feedback – With Dr. Karen Postal (Part 2)
Karen Postal, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, talked with us about neuropsychological feedback in episode 17 (click here to go to that episode). Today, she graciously returns to continue the discussion of how to best deliver feedback and talk about her new book, Testimony That Sticks: The Art of Communicating Psychology and Neuropsychology to Juries. We also spend time talking to Karen about her training and supervision style, as well as her perspective on professional development based on her experience as American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology President and in many other leadership and service roles.
Episode 62 | Multiple Sclerosis: Cognitive and Emotional Sequelae – with Dr. Peter Arnett
About 50% of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit cognitive deficits in additional to physical symptoms. Depression and fatigue are also common in MS and can be debilitating. Therefore, it is not uncommon for an individual with MS to be referred for neuropsychological evaluation, making it important for neuropsychologists to familiarize themselves with the neurobiological underpinnings and signs and symptoms of MS. Today, John and Ryan talk with Dr. Peter Arnett about the cognitive and emotional symptoms of MS, and how neuropsychology can contribute to the care of patients with MS.
Episode 41 | Teleneuropsychology – With Dr. Munro Cullum
The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting every corner of our world, and neuropsychology is certainly not immune from its effects. In particular, many neuropsychological clinics have temporarily shut down operations in response to the widespread call for social distancing. With this as the backdrop, we speak with Munro Cullum, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, about teleneuropsychology and telemedicine in general. We distinguish between pre-COVID-19 teleneuropsychological evaluations, conducted in clinics and other controlled environments, and the current push for home-to-home teleneuropsychology. We then dive into the details of teleneuropsychology, including topics such as research evidence for feasibility, reliability, and validity of this methodology, patient acceptability, environmental challenges, patient privacy and informed consent, and trainee clinical hours, among others. Throughout the interview, Dr. Cullum summarizes the current literature and provides advice, tips, and guidance for interested researchers and clinicians.
Episode 122 | Parkinson’s Disease – With Dr. Sara Schaefer
This episode is a wide ranging discussion of Parkinson’s disease, with Dr. Sara Schaefer. The conversation begins with basic facts, features, and concepts, and then moves into more complex topics, while covering many critical factors for neuropsychologists to consider. It includes a focus on diagnosis/symptoms, epidemiology, core neuropathology, neurodiagnostic approaches, risk factors (e.g., REM behavior disorder), nonmotor features (e.g., autonomic, neuropsychiatric, cognitive), subtypes, and treatment approaches.
Episode 15 | Interventional Neuropsychology: Compensatory Cognitive Training – With Dr. Beth Twamley
Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) is a growing area of research and clinical practice for neuropsychologists in academic and rehabilitation settings. CCT leverages intact brain networks in order to teach skills that can improve someone’s ability to function independently in day-to-day life, despite the presence of other disrupted brain networks. CCT has wide-reaching applications and can be beneficial for many of the clinical populations neuropsychologists already work with, including individuals with traumatic brain injury, severe mental illness, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. In this episode, we will talk to Elizabeth Twamley, Ph.D., about CCT: how it is applied, similarities to cognitive rehabilitation, who benefits most, where the field is going, and much more.
Episode 52 | The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) – With Dr. Robert Latzman
Our current nosology of psychopathology relies on a categorical model that has notable limitations. For example, this medical model of classifying mental disorders does not account for the significant heterogeneity of symptom presentations across psychopathology. Today, we speak with Robert Latzman, Ph.D., to discuss the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP), an alternative nosology that uses factor analysis to address the issues with our current diagnostic classification standard.
Episode 50 | Non-CNS Cancer and Cognition – With Dr. Mike Parsons
The cognitive consequences of non-central nervous system (non-CNS) cancer and cancer-related treatments did not become the subject of scientific investigation until recently and is still a growing area of research. Contemporary studies have made it clear that neuropsychology is an integral part of the evaluation and care of individuals with cancer. Today we talk with Michael Parsons, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, about the evaluation of cognitive change due to cancer and cancer-related treatment, factors that influence cognitive decline in these patients, and how interdisciplinary work can benefit these patients.
Episode 126 | Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
In this episode, we discuss the long-term cognitive and mental health effects of sport related concussion, which includes an in depth conversation about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), with Dr. Nyaz Didehbani. Specific topics covered include methodological limitations of the literature on long-term effects of concussion, risk of neurodegenerative diseases from TBI (mild to severe), and CTE history, neuropathology, clinical symptoms, and sociocultural/sociopolitical influences.
Episode 11 | The Human Microbiome and Mental Illness: The Gut-Brain Axis – With Dr. Tanya Nguyen
In our bodies, microbial genes outnumber human genes by about 100 to 1. The human microbiome (the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in us) has been linked to gastrointestinal diseases, immune functioning, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and more recently cognitive and psychiatric functioning. Today we speak with Tanya Nguyen, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist whose research is helping to clarify this link.