Difference between neuro psychologist and
 

neuro psychiatrist?

And yes I have googled the terms...and still get confused.

Can anyone explain in simple English what is the difference between them?

Newbie.

hey newbie, I don't know the answer and if google didn't tell you, then searching won't help me either.

i always thought a psychologist could counsel, but not prescribe meds and a psychiatrist could prescribe. ?? Like an optometrist can script glasses, but only an opthomologist can treat eye disease.

that's the best I can come up with! maybe someone else will show up that knows.

from my understanding

a Psychiatrist is an MD who has then gone on to specialise in psychiatry. They therefore have all the qualifications needed to practice medicine, with the additional specialization

Psychologists are not medical doctors (as a rule) although they may have a PhD in psychology. I believe a Master's degree is the minimum required to become licenced as a psychologist

HTH
:)

That is a grerat help thanks.

Why do people make it sound so complicated? Oh well perhaps it is just me being a bozo :)

The fear here is which one is likely to say.. (we have all heard this one)

"It's all in your head!"

After they have done all the physical tests eg MRI, cats, lumbers etc etc (You know the ones) and they are all negatives (I am aware of false negatives)

A regular psychiatrist has ALREADY said it is NOT all in the head... I wonder why a 'neuro' psychiatrist is recomemded?

The GP is now accepting the pain levels and is prescribing pain meds well (at long last)

So why the 'neuro psychiatrist'?

I'm not explaining this well am I?

A Neuro psychiatrist does neuro psych testing.

The testing is cognitive, memory, concentration and alot more.

sorry I can still not see the difference between a neuro and an ordinary psychiarist

the ordinary psychiatrist did all that.

and said of course I'm depressed, with that amount of pain any one would be.

so to go back to the original Q.

for what reason are they so special to have the word 'neuro' in front of their name. this is what I do not understand.

What does a neuro psychologist/psychiatrist do that that the run of the mill ones don't?

I must confess Newbie, that has me stumped too cos I have always understood that both those psychs deal with neuro issues???

I havent ever heard the distinction neuro- as opposed to just the psychiatrist or psychologist in that way, so I am interested to hear what the actual distinction is myself:confused:

join the party Chemar, but they seem to think there is a difference.

ah well we will see.

Newbie,

The neuro psych does testing. The testing can take hours or might be done in one or more visits.

The testing can be in the form of memory games, diagrams ect. The neuro psych is looking for possible deficits that can't be seen in other tests. Some that have medical problems such as MS can have cognitive problems that can and does interfere with doing their job and once the deficit is found then the patient is then able to find ways to compensate.

A neuro psych can also evaluate a child that has possible ADHD and/or learning difficulties and find the deficits so the child can get the appropriate help.

A Psychiatrist can diagnose any number of mental heath issues and prescribe meds but they do not do the type of testing that a neuro psych does.

Hope this made more sense to you.

Snoopy
when you say neuro psych...are you referring to a neuro psychologist or a neuro psychiatrist?:confused:

I certainly know of psychologists who do cognitive etc testing but havent ever encountered psychiatrists who did that

Chemar,

I am referring to both.

I do not have first hand experience with a Neuro - Psychiatrist but I am aware they exist.

The NeuroPsychiatrist has a medical specialty in Neurology and Psychiatry. They are trained to understand the neurological behavior of the brain.

Please bear with me - I am trying to help and yet I feel as if I am not explaining this correctly:o

actually you are explaining it very well :) and thanks too cos I am learning something new which I really appreciate!

neuropsychiatrist - A medical specialist dealing with the evaluation and treatment of disorders deriving from impaired brain functioning and the concurrent behavioral and emotional changes.

neuropsychologist - A clinical psychologist who conducts testing to quantify and localize impaired brain functioning.

gee, talk about loopy!!
 

I have spent an hour, with interuptions trying to understand what snoopy was refering to. I'm not challenging you Snoopy, just trying to understand myself.

Well, the whle thing blew away so I guess it was not worth the time and effort. I did want to ask if another Dr. was in this group.

neuro- surgeon

neuro-psychologist

neuro-psychiatrist

Snoopy, if I may ask, what are they treeting you for? If you don't want to answer that is ok.

I see all 3 of those except I never noticed a neuro in front of the psychiatrist or psychologist.

Inquiring minds want to know but is too tired to look up anything else.

Jo duh slow

Jo,

Feel free to challenge me I don't claim to have all the right answers;)

I see a Psychiatrist for therapy and meds....she is not a neuropsych.

My daughter as had testing with a psychologist and meds thru Psychiatrist.

As a person with MS I am very aware of neuropsych...many with MS go thru neuropsych testing altho' I never have and at this point I have no interest in doing so.

I have not had any personal experience with a neuropsych but I like to read.

If I am wrong on anything I have posted feel free to point it out....I can take it.;)

Hi,
Here is something I found.
Mari

http://www.fhipa.com/ipa-abcs-1.html#NEUROPSYCHIATRIST

Thanks everyone for you attempts to sort my muddled head out :)

It has been a learning curve for me.

Having already seen a psychologist and psychiatrist, who both have agreed that the pain is real and not 'in my head' I was just wondering why the need for a neuro psychologist and psychiatrist.

Thanks for your time and help.

Have a pain free day.

newbie.

I believe what they are trying to say is that your pain is not cause by an emotional problem(that you are not imagining it) but by a real problem inside your brain (a physical injury or function problem with your brain). So what they are saying is that you need a psychologist and psychiatrist who also are doctors for brain injury or function problems. So, your brain isn't imagining the pain it may be contributing to the pain.

Hi~

Sounds like the definitions have been worked out, so I'll offer my experience.

My daughter saw a neuropsychologist when she was experiencing some major brain fog symptoms and we were trying to determine if it was seizure symptoms, medication symptoms (depakote), or something else. She had several visits of one or more hours and all sorts of testing cognitive and personality functioning. (intelligence, verbal and non-verbal learning skills, attention capacity, sensory-perceptual functioning, visual-motor intergration, personality and emotional functioning,...looks like about 15 different battery of tests!)

I was referred to a neuropsychiatrist after about 3 years of complaints of neurological and other symptoms, and had seen about six separate specialists, and none of them could find much of any explanation for my many systemic symptoms. I was a little fixated on the 'pyschiatrist' part and thought my PCP had just had enough of me (and I think that part is absolutely true..when I told her my legs were buzzing nonstop, she assumed I was hearing the buzzing).

BUT... the neuropsych ran EMG's (nerve tests) and all sorts of bloodwork to rule out various autoimmune disease, antibody tests, Lyme disease, and more. He did ask me some questions, I think, looking for anxiety/depression, etc. He had also just about given up, telling me many symptoms were all subjective (things I could feel, but they could not 'see' or 'prove') and that he had very little objective information to go on. He was nice enough to say he didn't doubt I was experiencing it all, but I would just have to wait for more to develop (and to call him if I started falling down!) . But as I was leaving his office from the third visit, empty handed one more time, HE SUDDENLY THOUGHT to test me for B12 deficiency...and that turned out to be what the other eight other doctors had missed!! Within a few months I was well on my way to recovery~ slow but sure over the next couple years. Major improvements occured within 3-6 months.

Don't be afraid...just go. It might be the doctor who actually thinks of something nobody else has thought of. ANd if it isn't.... just keep on that merry-go-round... until you finally get some answers.

Cara

A psychiatrist has basic training in both mental illness management as well as organic brain dysfunction. They are an MD who has completed at least an additional 4 year residency in psychiatry, and have passed their boards with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). Some will also have additional training (usually a fellowship of 1-2 years) specifically in neurologic/organic brain dysfunction. Many do not.

http://www.aadprt.org/training/default.aspx

A psychologist (in most states they must have a PhD) is not a MD. Most do not have specialized training in neurologic conditions, but instead are expert in personal counseling, adjustment issues, and psychotherapy. A neuropsychologist is one who has specialized training (usually 2 years post-doctorate) in both testing for cognitive deficits and remediation of cognitive and behavioral problems related to neurologic injury or disease.

http://www.appcn.org/mission.html#history

To make things even more complex, there are neuropsychology technicians (also called psychometrists or psychological assistants) who have a bachelor's or master's degree who are trained in how to administer (but not interpret) the vast array of psychological and neuropsychological tests. Interpretation would then by done by the neuropsychologist or psychiatrist:

http://www.napnet.org/49501.html?*se...ession*id*val*

B12 merry-go-round!
 

Jccglutenfree....boy can I ever relate to your story.
I too went through years of hell seeking answers to my growing list of symptoms. I seriously considered just "ending it all" when my muscle weakness, loss of voice, musle twitching, nueropathy all increasing to where I could hardly function....my medical records stated Possible ALS.
I had no idea what this meant till I did an internet search.
Every symptom I had pointed to ALS....no way was I going to let my life end this way....slow suffocation....paralized and unable to move.
What a nightmare. I finally got in for the EMG and NC test that showed I did not have this dreadful disease. They did run B12 test that showed normal:eek: oh yeah...232 normal? I dont think so!
But I was clueless when it came to B12...months of more suffering till I found Braintalk!
It took only a few days to feel the difference.
I'd love to have a refund from all those "specialist" who gave me so many different possible causes. Where would I be without the B12?
Blessings, Cheryl

The definitions in this thread are good. Both types of professionals are very helpful for injuries such as traumatic brain injury.

From a practical perspective the neuropsychologist helps with “paper and pencil” testing and the practical day-to-day living issues such as how to cope with what is now “not working so well”. They also deal with issues and strategies for re-integrating into work or school.

The testing a neuropsychologist performs tells you what functional areas have been affected by the injury. For instance changes in verbal ability, short-term or working memory, spacial concepts, and such can be measured. One can actually tell during the testing what areas of the brain are being “probed” by the test.

This differs from the neuro psychiatrist’s (or even physiatrist’s) focus on the medical side of things and their ability to prescribe medications to help with cognitive fatigue, headache, vertigo, or sleep problems.

While sleep problems are common with a TBI, the neuropsychologist may rely on treatments such as relaxation or meditation, while the neuro psychiatrist may include these but also rely on medications.

Probably the main difference is their focus.

For my TBI, I see both a neuropsychologist (for testing and reintegration strategies) and a physiatrist for cognitive fatigue, pain, and other issues. They work together as a good team.

Hope this helps.

My experience w/ neuro psych
 

The neuro psychologist I saw after my shunt revision ran me through a battery of tests to determine cognitive deficits. He checked memory, hand/eye co-ordination, association skills, and other skills I would need to return to my job and life as I knew it. He was not there to resolve any pre-existing psychiatric disorders (God knows that would have taken way too much time). He then forwarded the data to my neurologist, who discussed it with my wife and me. I hope this helps some.

neuropsychologist - A definitive definition
 

According to the most recent issue,volume 18, issue 2, 2006 of "Barrow" magazine, published by Barrow Neurolocial Institute here in Phoenix, a neuropsychologist "deals with the relationship between the brain and behavior". They "facilitate recovery from brain disorders, such as tramatic brain injury and stroke". The neuropsychologist also incorporates testing similar to that of the neuro-psychiatrist into the treatment plan. Dr. Prigatano and his team helped me develop and use tools and methodologies that allowed me to return to work full time.

You can be added to thier mailing list by calling 602.406.1041 or send request to Barrow, Office of Philanthropy, St. Josephs hospiyal and Medical Center, 305 W. Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013.