Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology concerns itself with brain functioning in both healthy and pathological states, using tools such as functional imaging, specific cognitive or behavioral tasks, trained observation, and data gathering. A neuropsychologist is a licensed psychologist with expertise in how behavior and skills are related to brain structures and systems. This expertise is gained through special training during graduate school, as well as 2 years of formal training during internship and postgraduate years. Neuropsychologists often informally divide themselves into two groups, those who prefer engaging in research and those who focus on clinical work with patients. Clinical neuropsychology is the study of behavior and cognition as it is affected by neurodevelopmental anomalies and injuries and diseases that affect neurological functioning. Giftedness is rarely a topic of inquiry.