Neuropsychology
Our comprehensive neuropsychology services include assessments, diagnoses, and therapies. We offer compassionate care for children and adults.
Medically reviewed by Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Ph.D. on June 17, 2025.
Comprehensive Neuropsychology Services
Neuropsychology examines how nervous system (neurologic) conditions affect your thinking, behavior and mood. Neuropsychologists are psychologists who specialize in the relationship between how your brain works and your behaviors.
At UC Davis Health, our expert neuropsychologists provide compassionate care through our Department of Neurology. We offer comprehensive testing and compassionate care for children and adults.
On this page
What Is Neuropsychology?
Neuropsychology focuses on understanding how your brain works — and helping it work better — when you have a condition affecting brain function. Our neuropsychologists perform tests, provide cognitive diagnoses, develop recommendations and treatment plans, and provide care for children and adults.
Our neuropsychology services include:
Neuropsychological Tests
These verbal and written tests evaluate mental functions, such as your attention, language, learning and memory, reasoning, and problem-solving. They also assess your behaviors and moods.
Behavioral Health Services
We offer short-term behavioral health services for children and adults with different types of neurological disorders.
Brain Health Classes
Our Brain Health Classes help you improve and protect your brain health as you get older. They aim to help you identify your risk factors and implement strategies and behavior changes to reduce your risk of developing cognitive impairment. These classes are offered several times a year in person.
Healthy Aging Services
Neuropsychologists are members of our clinical California Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence, which provides diagnosis, treatment, and prevention for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The UC Davis Healthy Aging Clinic also offers other services, including our California Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Dementia Care Program.
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Conditions
About Neuropsychological Tests
Different neuropsychological tests provide information about how your brain works. These tests help assess your memory, thinking skills, language, and motor skills, as well as your behavior and mood.
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Preparing for a Neuropsychological Test
You or your child should be well-rested, fed, and hydrated before taking a neuropsychological test. Unless your care team says otherwise, plan to take any medications as usual.
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Types of Neuropsychological Tests
Test types depend on your age, health conditions, and other factors. We may ask you or your child to write, draw, solve puzzles or answer verbal or written questions. If you are bringing your child for testing, you may complete questionnaires about your child’s behaviors, learning, and verbal skills.
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Neuropsychological Test Results
Neuropsychological testing provides information that may help you and your treatment team understand what factors are contributing to cognitive impairment. The results can then inform your treatment decisions. You or your child benefits from a customized care plan that supports better behaviors, moods, thinking, and other skills.
Neuropsychology Research
Our neuropsychologists are active in research and clinical trials to better understand the relationship between neurological conditions, behaviors and thought processes. We’re helping to improve your quality of life.
Everyday Cognition and Resilient Aging Lab
Experts at our Everyday Cognition and Resilient Aging Lab study daily functioning and thinking (cognition) in older adults. The focus is on finding new and better ways to promote healthy aging.
Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Neuropsychologists and other experts at our Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center work to advance the understanding, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Awards and Recognitions
Ranked among the nation’s best hospitals
A U.S. News & World Report best hospital in cancer, cardiology, heart & vascular surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, ENT, geriatrics, neurology & neurosurgery, orthopedics, and pulmonology & lung surgery.
Ranked among the nation’s best children’s hospitals
U.S. News & World Report ranked UC Davis Children’s Hospital among the best in neonatology, nephrology, orthopedics*, pediatric & adolescent behavioral health, and pulmonology & lung surgery. (*Together with Shriners Children’s Northern California)
Ranked Sacramento’s #1 hospital
Ranked Sacramento’s #1 hospital by U.S. News, and high-performing in back surgery, COPD, colon cancer surgery, gynecological cancer surgery, heart attack, heart failure, hip fracture, kidney failure, leukemia, lymphoma & myeloma, lung cancer surgery, pneumonia, prostate cancer surgery, stroke, TAVR, and gastroenterology & GI surgery.
The nation’s highest nursing honor
UC Davis Medical Center has received Magnet® recognition, the nation’s highest honor for nursing excellence.
World-class cancer care
One of ~56 U.S. cancer centers designated “comprehensive” by the National Cancer Institute.
A leader in health care equality
For the 13th consecutive year, UC Davis Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization.
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