The Technology Crisis in Neuropsychology

Abstract

Neuropsychology has fallen reliant on outdated and labor intensive methods of data collection that are slow, highly inefficient, and expensive, and provide relatively data-poor estimates of human behavior despite rapid technological advance in most other fields of medicine. Here we present a brief historical overview of current testing practices in an effort to frame the current crisis, followed by an overview of different settings in which technology can and should be integrated. Potential benefits of laboratory based assessments, remote assessments, as well as passive and high-frequency data collection tools rooted in technology are discussed, along with several relevant examples and how these technologies might be deployed. Broader issues of data security and privacy are discussed, as well as additional considerations to be addressed within each setting. Some of the historical barriers to adoption of technology are also presented, along with a brief discussion of the remaining uncertainties. While by no means intended as a comprehensive review or prescriptive roadmap, our goal is to show that there are a tremendous number of advantages to technologically driven data collection methods, and that technology should be embraced by the field. Our predictions are that the comprehensive assessments of the future will likely entail a combination of lab-based assessments, remote assessments, and passive data capture, and leading the development of these efforts will cement the role of neuropsychology at the forefront of cognitive and behavioral science.

InterOrganizational practice committee recommendations/guidance for teleneuropsychology (TeleNP) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…It must first be acknowledged that, so far, the evidence base is limited (e.g. Brearly et al, 2017;Marra et al, 2020;Miller & Barr, 2017). The available evidence supports concurrent validity, including robust within-person, across-modality correlations for a variety of tests, but typically under controlled conditions of a remote Tele-NP clinic rather than a less controlled patient home environment, and for many others data are lacking.…”

Evidence of Validity for a Newly Developed Digital Cognitive Test Battery

“…Most of the standard neuropsychological tests have a long history in the field and have traditionally been administered in paper-and-pencil form. However, assessing cognitive functioning using paper-and-pencil tests has major limitations: it is labor-intensive on the side of the clinician in terms of administration and scoring, provides little flexibility in stimulus use or updating of tests, and is severely limited in the type of outcome measures that can be extracted (Miller and Barr, 2017;Klaming and Vlaskamp, 2018). Digital cognitive testing effectively addresses some of these issues (Bauer et al, 2012;Riordan et al, 2013;Zygouris and Tsolaki, 2015;Feenstra et al, 2017;Galindo-Aldana et al, 2018;Germine et al, 2019;Kessels, 2019).…”

Neuropsicologia no Brasil: passado, presente e futuro

“…Na perspectiva de Miller e Barr (2017), as avaliações neuropsicológicas do futuro envolverão uma combinação de avaliações baseadas em laboratório, avaliações à distância e captura passiva de dados. Desta maneira, enfocam os autores, a neuropsicologia consolidará o seu papel na vanguarda da ciência cognitiva e comportamental (Miller & Barr, 2017). Porém, a neuropsicologia brasileira tem um outro desafio a enfrentar, a saber, a necessidade de constituir uma neuropsicologia própria do nosso país, sintonizada com os desafios e urgências de um país rico em diversidade.…”