Brisbane Neuropsychology Clinic in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Mental health service

Brisbane Neuropsychology Clinic

Locality: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Phone: +61 7 3832 3591

Address: Suite 63, 6th Floor, Silverton Place, 101 Wickham Tce 4000 Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Website: http://brisbaneneuropsychologyclinic.com.au

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• Mental health service

25.01.2022 The AACN has provided a very detailed explanation of the distinction between cortical and subcortical dementias. This is a distinction we use less commonly now, but still permeates our fundamental analysis of the test results. Although imaging has improved our knowledge about the brain structures, its the impact on cognition in terms of everyday function, and specialty issues such as decision making etc, where neuropsychological assessment can be most helpful.

25.01.2022 Some tips for headaches management- hopefully they help a little bit!

23.01.2022 Im pleased to be able to learn more about NDIS funding and how it may apply to cases we see.

22.01.2022 This book arrived today - Id almost forgotten that it was coming! Karen was invited to contribute- and we wrote up one of my cases. I hope it helps the provisional psychologists with writing up their case studies.

22.01.2022 AACN's Ask the Experts Series: What Types of Dementias are Reversible? Response by Karen D. Sullivan, Ph.D., ABPP... To meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of dementia, three conditions must be met. A person has: 1) new-onset declines in memory and in at least one other cognitive or behavior domain, 2) these deficits must interfere with instrumental activities of daily living (driving, remembering to take medications accurately and managing complex financial matters) and 3) all reversible causes for the decline must be considered and ruled out. With more than fifty conditions mimicking the symptoms of dementia, an important first step in a gold-standard evaluation of brain functioning is to rule out these potentially treatable causes. The following eight reversible causes of dementia produce up to 23 percent of symptoms and are easily remembered by the mnemonic DEMENTIA with examples in parentheses: Drugs (any drug with anticholinergic activity) Emotional (depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress) Metabolic (thyroid disorders) Eyes and ears declining Normal pressure hydrocephalus (accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) Tumor or other space occupying lesions Infection (urinary tract infection) Anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency Once these conditions have been ruled out, a comprehensive dementia evaluation can occur and must include a thorough history including an interview with the patient and ideally someone close to them, a detailed review of medical records, neuropsychological evaluation (cognitive pen and paper testing), mood assessment and possible neuroimaging (MRI or CT scan). A neuropsychologist’s job is integrating the findings from these sources to determine if the person is experiencing normal cognitive aging, a type of mild cognitive impairment or a subtype of dementia. With over 50 types of dementia, it is critical that we identify what type or subtypes are causing the symptoms (some people have more than one type of dementia) because this is how personalized brain health treatment occurs. Dementia treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Image Source: https://pixabay.com//care-costs-dementia-woman-old-age-63/

20.01.2022 A fantastic review of the literature - lots of our patients experience pain and we need to make sure we understand it well.

20.01.2022 Tonight I went to a talk at the Brisbane Library- by Bri Lee, author of Eggshell Skull. She patiently signed all our books. Whilst some of the content is upsetting Im enjoying reading her book - about her experiences with the Qld Judicial System & sexual offenders. A thought provoking presentation, which I enjoyed.

20.01.2022 Nothing like a good ethical dilemma to keep you on your toes

19.01.2022 As I was enjoying a morning coffee, some good news came into my feed - we dont have to feel guilty about enjoying coffee!

19.01.2022 The conference is starting now - its hard to believe that there are over one thousand neuropsychologists (I think its 1800) in one place, getting up to date with the latest research from the experts. Im looking forward to bringing home lots of new ideas!

18.01.2022 Believe it or not, we studied Clinical Neuropsychology together (many years ago) - its wonderful to see Jason carrying on his fantastic research, and helping us all understand cognitive function in greater detail.

18.01.2022 Just reminder that strokes dont discriminate- and that it is possible to improve and get back to work afterwards. I imagine he had great cognitive reserve, and lots of motivation - and more empathy after this event

18.01.2022 One of my favourite topics - delivered in a really engaging manner

18.01.2022 Now we take memory problems very seriously- but its Sunday - Fun day

15.01.2022 As this lovely summary says, Luke Perrys death following a stroke has reminded us that they can happen at any age. For those who survive- understanding the cognitive strengths and weaknesses that remain (through neuropsychology assessment) can help make important decisions moving forward. Heres a bit more detail ...

15.01.2022 Today I had the opportunity to present to a keen group of General Practitioners about the complicated topic of assessing decision making capacity. My colleague Prof Sullivan outlined the main issues that are faced, and what literature and recommendations are available to assist in this complex area. The GPs often face time pressures that make it difficult for them to evaluate these complex matters - as they apply to health decisions, driving, financial and testamentary cap...acity. I got to present the fun part, a complex case - where the MMSE score remained high but the previously well educated individual was struggling with serious memory and executive dysfunction (both on my tests and in everyday life). Whilst neuropsychological assessment may not be viable for all cases, I was able to show how in complex cases the objective data can be helpful (because it compares to age-norms) in understanding and defining the cognitive impairment, in an individual where the condition impacts on their insight and willingness to acknowledge cognitive problems. The general consensus was that this is a growing area, with increasing demands on all health professionals to provide opinions about decision making, often with less than optimal objective data. They gave us a lovely thank you gift, which I will enjoy using! See more

14.01.2022 The diagnosis of dementia can seem like a terrible life sentence. However it can be reassuring to know that some causes are reversible. Confronting as it is, its important to undergo investigations- especially if there is a treatable cause. Here is a nice summary of reversible dementias.

13.01.2022 Just preparing to return home after an assessment today in Cairns! Next time I will make sure I schedule it so I can make a long weekend of it - its nice to get away, and fabulous to meet our referrers in person.

13.01.2022 Were expanding - and looking for a full time clinical neuropsychology registrar - see the ad below

12.01.2022 Today is world MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Day. Here is a video of the very important research being undertaken towards slowing (or halting) the progress of MS. The team is led by the wonderful Prof Pender, who I was lucky enough to work with at the RBH many years ago. His interest in understanding the effects of MS in his patients helped encourage me to better understand the condition. Neuropsychological assessment can explore whether cognitive function is impacted by the disease, which can influence decisions (such as continuing work, accessing insurances). Careful evaluation and empathy is always important, the patients are a young group, facing a progressive neurological condition.

12.01.2022 An article about brain injury and ADHD - one of the many factors, plus some nice preventative tips for parents of young children

12.01.2022 Here is a great summary of presentations that look like dementia, but are reversible- it can be a relief for people to know that although they are experiencing problems, the news isnt always bad - careful medical investigation of the possible causes is an important start, before they come to Neuropsych testing.

11.01.2022 Here is a useful video about the early phases of recovery following sports concussion. Early reassurance about the recovery trajectory is vital. If the symptoms persist, and become a Post Concussion Syndrome- thats when neuropsychologists get involved.

11.01.2022 First workshop - looking at ecological validity (how assessment relates to real life function) and naturalistic assessment (simulated real world environments and virtual reality (VR) etc). Lots of promising ideas, and room for collaboration with OTs, but the research is still struggling - so probably wont be changing to VR assessments any time soon

11.01.2022 Its quite challenging to see that psychologists are involved in the American celebrity Learning Disability diagnosis scam. However, heres a great response from AACN showing how the thorough work done by neuropsychologists can overcome this problem. Neuropsychologists are very attuned to combining the lifetime history with the test data, and make sense of it all. May not be popular, but its accurate and backed up by rigorous data!

09.01.2022 Useful tips for us al!

09.01.2022 The 10% myth - this gives a clear answer to a question that I often encounter- do we only use 10% of our brain??? I say no - and so does the scientific research. The details are outlined below ... (you will use a few interconnecting areas to process it)

08.01.2022 Tonight I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the Queensland Neurotrauma Clinic. This is a multidisciplinary group offering comprehensive assessment and treatment for brain injury. I am proud to be part of the team - we aim to fill a gap in the market - offering multidisciplinary approach for patient groups that frequently struggle to obtain an integrated service (often the mild to moderate brain injuries fall into this group). The team is headed by Dr Ali Alavi, who... is a neurosurgeon- providing a comprehensive medical overview - and to address any treatable elements. We also have a rehabilitation physician (Dr Anthony French) and of course the practical interventions are provided by our occupational therapist (David Norris). Naturally I will provide comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, to better understand cognitive and psychological function. We look forward to helping lots of people to manage their conditions in an optimal manner. See more

08.01.2022 AACNs Ask the Experts Series: What Types of Dementias are Reversible? Response by Karen D. Sullivan, Ph.D., ABPP... To meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of dementia, three conditions must be met. A person has: 1) new-onset declines in memory and in at least one other cognitive or behavior domain, 2) these deficits must interfere with instrumental activities of daily living (driving, remembering to take medications accurately and managing complex financial matters) and 3) all reversible causes for the decline must be considered and ruled out. With more than fifty conditions mimicking the symptoms of dementia, an important first step in a gold-standard evaluation of brain functioning is to rule out these potentially treatable causes. The following eight reversible causes of dementia produce up to 23 percent of symptoms and are easily remembered by the mnemonic DEMENTIA with examples in parentheses: Drugs (any drug with anticholinergic activity) Emotional (depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress) Metabolic (thyroid disorders) Eyes and ears declining Normal pressure hydrocephalus (accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) Tumor or other space occupying lesions Infection (urinary tract infection) Anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency Once these conditions have been ruled out, a comprehensive dementia evaluation can occur and must include a thorough history including an interview with the patient and ideally someone close to them, a detailed review of medical records, neuropsychological evaluation (cognitive pen and paper testing), mood assessment and possible neuroimaging (MRI or CT scan). A neuropsychologists job is integrating the findings from these sources to determine if the person is experiencing normal cognitive aging, a type of mild cognitive impairment or a subtype of dementia. With over 50 types of dementia, it is critical that we identify what type or subtypes are causing the symptoms (some people have more than one type of dementia) because this is how personalized brain health treatment occurs. Dementia treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Image Source: https://pixabay.com//care-costs-dementia-woman-old-age-63/

06.01.2022 Im pleased to be attending the MLSQ Annual Conference- titled High Society- the misuse of opioids at the lovely Marriott. Lots of interesting speakers on this challenging topic!

05.01.2022 I had the good fortune to be invited to speak at the UNEMSA event in Saturday night. I traveled to Armidale and attended the lovely University of New England campus. I got to speak to the medical students about my experiences in a health profession. I hope that I was able to educate the students about what neuropsychology is all about, and I offered a few words of wisdom, based on my experience over many years. I appreciated this lovely opportunity, and hope it was helpful for them,

03.01.2022 It was an absolute highlight to see Prof Grant Iverson today. He gave an elegant and comprehensive review of concussion, predictors of outcome and the state of the literature concerning Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. He strongly encouraged attention to good quality research and the use of evidence informed interventions. A comprehensive and useful update, with lessons to apply in the clinic.

01.01.2022 Ill be out of the office for the next couple of days, I have the honor of chairing the 2018 APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists Conference. Im excited about the fantastic program that we have put together, exploring many current issues in neuropsychology, with an incredible range of international speakers and wonderful local talent. We will be reminded that both the neuro and the psychology matter in what we do, and that it matters that we always aim to operate at a level consistent with international standards