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The Division of Neuropsychology was founded in 1981 and remains a nationally recognized program dedicated to clinical assessment, research and academic training. It functions as a major referral center within the Southeast U.S. and serves as an International resource for patients from Central and South America and the Caribbean. The division is an integral part of the Department of Neurology and shares a close collaborative relationship with other departments at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Members of the division are trained in pediatric and adult clinical assessment and provide state of the art neuropsychological evaluations for individuals from multiethnic and culturally diverse backgrounds.
Services
 The division is comprised of the Neuropsychology Clinical Service and the Neuropsychology Training and Research Program.
The Neuropsychology Clinical Service provides comprehensive assessment of cognitive and emotional functioning using standardized tests. The evaluation includes detailed interview and assessment of intellectual abilities, academic achievement, language, attention, memory, judgment and reasoning, visuospatial/constructive skills, executive functions and motor abilities, as well as mood and personality. Screening, basic and comprehensive evaluations are conducted depending on the referral question. Referrals for clinical neuropsychological evaluation may be arranged by physicians, other health care professionals, the prospective patient or family members. Our network of referral services includes neurology, psychiatry, social work, cognitive rehabilitation, and occupational therapy. Forensic evaluations are also conducted.
Common Reasons for Referral
- Differential diagnosis of dementia and neurodegenerative disease
- Differentiate memory and attention difficulties in early dementia versus normative aging
- Cognitive effects of toxic exposure or substance abuse
- Evaluate response to treatment or medications
- Recovery of function (Head injury, Stroke)
- Localization of seizure disorder and associated cognitive deficits
- Identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses
- Evaluate candidacy for neurosurgical intervention
- Evaluate the role of emotional factors on cognitive well-being
- Determine potential for rehabilitation, return to work or ability to function independently
- Disability and Competency Evaluations
- Evaluation for testamentary capacity and undue influence
The Division is a major training site in neuropsychology. The Neuropsychology Training and Research Program is actively engaged in graduate teaching and supervision of doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows in clinical neuropsychology. All members of the division are involved in research. Many studies are interdisciplinary involving collaboration with other Neurology faculty as well as other member of the medical school community. Several projects in the division are supported by grants from private foundations and federal agencies. Ongoing research interests include studies of:
Cognitive and behavioral subtypes in Parkinson’s disease
Imaging and biomarkers underlying cognitive and motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Amyiotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Cognitive outcome following shunt placement in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Cognitive correlates of vascular dementia
Identification of early risk factors associated with cognitive change
Effects of hypothermia treatment on outcome in TBI
Neuropsychological changes following exposure to Marine toxins
Research
Dr. Bonnie Levin has over 25 years of experience as a neuropsychologist and has published extensively in the field of mental status changes associated with degenerative disorders. The majority of her research has focused on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of Parkinson’s disease and other dementias. She has been funded by the National Parkinson’s Foundation and has served as an ad hoc reviewer and as a permanent member of the NINDS/NSDK study section. Dr. Levin has taught the graduate level course in Neuropsychology within the Department of Psychology for the past 20 years. She has trained over 100 graduate practicum students, interns, and post-doctoral fellows.
Dr. Katzen joined the UM faculty in 2006 and as a Research Assistant Professor. Her main research interests are in aging and dementia. She has an NIH-NINDS funded Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) to study cognitive recovery in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Dr. Katzen is also actively engaged in several other research projects within the Division including a longitudinal study examining the cognitive and behavioral aspects of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Links to Publications
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