Neuropsychology Flashcards

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is primarily used to assess:

Answer: Prefrontal executive functions and perseveration

The WCST is a classic measure of prefrontal executive functioning, particularly rule learning, cognitive flexibility, and tendency to perseverate.

Transcortical motor aphasia is characterized by:

Answer: Preserved repetition with nonfluent spontaneous speech

In transcortical motor aphasia, repetition is preserved but spontaneous speech is nonfluent, reflecting supplementary motor area involvement.

Which test is considered the gold standard for detecting effort and malingering in neuropsychological evaluations?

Answer: Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM)

The TOMM is a widely validated symptom validity test designed specifically to detect feigned memory impairment.

Damage to the anterior cingulate cortex is most associated with:

Answer: Akinetic mutism and reduced motivation

The anterior cingulate cortex is critical for motivated behavior; bilateral lesions can cause akinetic mutism characterized by profound apathy.

The California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) assesses memory by examining:

Answer: Immediate and delayed recall with learning curve analysis

The CVLT measures multiple memory processes including encoding, semantic clustering, short- and long-delay recall, and recognition discrimination.

In pediatric neuropsychology, which condition is characterized by deficits in sustained attention, impulse control, and executive function without primary intellectual disability?

Answer: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

ADHD is defined by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity rooted in executive and attentional dysregulation.

Which brain region shows the earliest and most severe atrophy in Alzheimer's disease?

Answer: Entorhinal cortex and hippocampus

Alzheimer's disease pathology begins in the entorhinal cortex and spreads to the hippocampus, explaining early episodic memory impairment.