Rockies Counseling Center Acquires Neurological Assessment Battery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockies Counseling Center has added the Neurological Assessment Battery (NAB) to its list of psychological services.  

The NAB is a series of tests that can provide physicians, caregivers and other clinicians with an overview of patient skills, including deficits in memory, executive brain functioning, attention, language and spatial judgments. Adult patients with known or suspected central nervous system disorders complete components of 33 neuropsychological tests over a 4-hour period.

"The NAB is the most significant and reliable new tool that psychologists have in regards to neuropsychology test batteries," said Dr. Marian Edelbrock. "Having the NAB will be a springboard for our neuropsychology program at University of the Rockies, and will make our students very marketable to internship sites and employers as they complete the program."

The NAB can be administered to patients suffering from brain injuries that result from car accidents, sports injuries, stroke, falls or other head traumas. The test is also applicable to individuals with diseases that impact brain function.  

For example, the test can be administered with Parkinson's patients to measure and establish a baseline on a patient's memory or cognition. The NAB can also be re-administered to measure the efficacy of treatments.

"Parkinson's affects approximately 3 percent of the U.S. population that is 61 years of age and older. The cause is not fully understood, and little information is known about the impact of the disease on the brain," explained Lisa Townsend, a doctoral student at University of the Rockies.

Individuals living with Parkinson's disease experience a breakdown of the central nervous system, originating in the midbrain. Early in the disease, symptoms are movement-related. Later, cognitive and behavioral symptoms appear, including dementia.

By administering the NAB with patients in this population, Townsend hopes to learn more about the neuropsychological implications of the disease, which could lead to a better quality of life for Parkinson's sufferers and their caregivers.

All testing is supervised by a licensed neuropsychologist. To request an appointment, call 719.442.0606.

About University of the Rockies

University of the Rockies is a graduate school specializing in master's and doctorate degree programs in the social and behavioral sciences.  Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org), classes are offered online and at the University's Colorado Springs, Colorado, campus.  For more information, please visit www.rockies.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 866.621.0124 x2513.

About Rockies Counseling Center

Rockies Counseling Center provides low-cost psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families who have no third-party insurance or have only limited ability to pay. Located on campus in Colorado Springs, students of University of the Rockies use the center for on-site training, allowing them to practice their psychotherapy skills. For more information, please visit www.rockies.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 866.621.0124 x2513.

Contact: Melissa Blevins, Campus PR/Marketing Specialist
719.442.0505 x1638 - [email protected]

SOURCE University of the Rockies