Why Neuropsychology?

​​​​​Proper evaluation and diagnosis is imperative after a brain injury. Clinical Neuropsychologists are part of the team of Clinicians that help to establish your diagnosis and your future prognosis after a brain injury.  A Neuropsychological evaluation is a testing method through which a neuropsychologist can acquire data about a patient’s cognitive, motor, behavioral, language, and executive functioning. The data attained in testing can provide information leading to the diagnosis of a cognitive deficit, which areas of the brain are being affected, and thus providing the road towards the best treatment options available for the condition which has been diagnosed.

It is estimated that Approximately 1.5 million Americans per year sustain a brain injury. Of those, 50,000 people will die as a result of brain injury, while 80,000 people per year will experience long-term disabilities as a result of their injury. There are two types of brain injury: traumatic brain injury and acquired brain injury.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury is a result of a direct blow to the head. The force is large enough to break through the skull and damage the soft brain, or to cause the brain to move within the skull to a level of force where the brain is damaged by the sharp edges inside of the scull.  

About 50 to 70 percent of all traumatic brain injuries are the result of car accidents. Other causes include:  Slips and falls. Work accidents. Violence/Assault. Sports-related accidents.

Causes of Acquired Brain Injury

An acquired brain injury is one that has occurred after birth, and is not hereditary, congenital, or degenerative. Common causes of acquired Brain Injury include: Airway obstruction. Near drowning. Choking. Injuries in which the chest has been crushed. Electrical shock. Lightning strike. Trauma to the head or neck. Severe blood loss. Artery impingement. Shock. Heart attack. Stroke. Arteriovenous malformation. Aneurysm.

Brain Injury Classifications
Brain injuries are classified as closed or open.

A closed head injury is a trauma in which the brain is injured as a result of a blow to the head, or a sudden, violent motion that causes the brain to knock against the skull. Closed head injuries can be diffuse, meaning that they affect cells and tissues throughout the brain; or focal, meaning that the damage occurs in one area. Closed head injuries can range from mild to severe. These brain injuries can cause issues in many places like the occipital lobe or the parietal lobe.
An open head injury, sometimes also called a penetrating head injury, results when an object penetrates the skull and enters the brain. Open head injuries are usually focal, which means that they affect a specific area of brain tissue.


Copyright © 2015   Center For Neuropsychology,   Dr. Tammy Grabreck Ph.D.   Psychology4U.Com   All rights reserved.
(excerpts from brainandspinalcord.org Newsome Melton Law Firm)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Dr. Tammy Grabreck, Clinical Neuropsychologist & Forensic Psychologist

​Center For Neuropsychology

Improving Life Through Advanced Diagnostics™

Common Psychological Evaluations​

  • Decisional Capacity
  • Competency & Guardianship
  • TBI Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Stroke - Cerebral-Vascular Disorders
  • Brain Tumor
  • Dementia
  • Neurological Disorders Including:
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Parkinson's Disease, ETC
  • Learning Disorders
  • ADHD
  • Pre-Surgical & Post-Surgical Evals
  • Pre & Post Concussion Evaluations
  • ​Epilepsy
  • Mental Retardation
  • Developmental Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Bipolar Disorders
  • Psychological & Mood Disorders

Prognosis Of A Brain Injury

The prognosis of a brain injury is determined by a variety of factors, including the severity of the damage, the length and the severity of the coma, and the location and the size of any traumas. The more severe the injury, the longer the recovery period. The longer the recovery period, the more long-term effects are likely.  

Why See Dr. Tammy Grabreck

Dr. Grabreck has a Certified Concentration as a Specialist in Neuropsychology.  Proper evaluation and diagnosis is imperative after a brain injury. Clinical Neuropsychologists are part of the team of Clinicians that help to establish your diagnosis and your future prognosis after a brain injury.  Dr. Grabreck has thousands of hours of experience performing Neuropsychological assessments.