This page answers common questions about clinical neuropsychology and neuropsychological assessment in Vancouver, British Columbia. Neuropsychology is the study and clinical assessment of how brain function affects thinking, behaviour, and everyday functioning. The information here is educational and is not a substitute for individual medical or psychological advice. If you are looking for an assessment or want to discuss whether one is appropriate, see the contact page. For an overview of services offered, see the services page.
Last updated: 2026-05-15
What actually happens during a neuropsychological assessment?
A neuropsychological assessment is a structured clinical evaluation that combines a detailed interview, standardized cognitive testing, and integration of medical and psychological information to characterise how a person’s brain is functioning. In a Vancouver private-practice setting, it typically unfolds across one or more appointments and is conducted by, or under the supervision of, a registered clinical neuropsychologist.
The first appointment is usually a clinical interview that covers presenting concerns, medical and psychiatric history, developmental and educational background, occupational functioning, and current mood, sleep, and substance use. Collateral information from family, treating clinicians, and prior records is reviewed where available. The clinician then selects a battery of standardized tests tailored to the referral question rather than running every patient through the same protocol.
The second appointment is in person and involves the formal testing. Testing samples several domains: attention and working memory, processing speed, language, learning and memory, visuospatial and visuoconstructional skills, executive functions, motor skills, and mood and personality. Validity and effort indicators are administered as standard practice; they help the clinician interpret whether scores reflect underlying ability. After scoring and integration, results are explained in a feedback meeting and summarized in a written report sent to the patient and, with consent, to referring clinicians.
How should I prepare for a neuropsychological assessment?
Preparation is mostly practical: sleep normally, take regular medications unless told otherwise, bring glasses and hearing aids if required, and bring a list of current medications and prior reports. Avoid alcohol and marijuana for at least 24 hours before and limit caffeine to your usual amount on the day of testing.
If you are being assessed for a specific question — for example, suspected ADHD, post-concussion symptoms, or memory change — bring any relevant medical records, school reports, imaging summaries, or prior psychological testing. Plan for the day to be cognitively demanding, and arrange transportation if you anticipate fatigue.
What do neurologists want from a neuropsychology report?
Neurologists generally want a clear cognitive profile, an interpretation that integrates imaging and clinical data, and explicit answers to their referral question. A useful report distinguishes cognitive patterns consistent with a neurological process from those better explained by mood, sleep, pain, or medication effects.
In practice, that means concise summaries of test findings by domain, a clear statement about any diagnoses made, and straightforward treatment recommendations.
For presurgical patients with (e.g.,) epilepsy, reports often include a statement of baseline cognitive profile relevant to surgical planning, expected post-surgical cognitive risk, and recommendations for follow-up. Brevity, specificity, and a clear bottom line are more useful to a referring neurologist than exhaustive test-by-test narration.
What are common cognitive symptoms in adults with epilepsy?
Adults with epilepsy commonly report problems with memory, word-finding, attention, and mental speed, though the specific pattern varies with seizure focus, age of onset, and medication burden. Temporal lobe epilepsy is most often associated with material-specific memory difficulties, while frontal lobe epilepsy more often affects attention, executive control, and processing speed.
Cognitive symptoms in epilepsy are multifactorial. They may reflect the underlying epileptogenic lesion, the cumulative effect of seizures, interictal discharges, antiseizure medications, mood and sleep disruption, or some combination of these. Neuropsychological assessment is widely used in epilepsy care in British Columbia to characterise this profile, to support pre-surgical decision-making, and to track cognition over time after medication changes or surgery.
Why is IQ testing alone often misleading?
An IQ score is a summary index that can obscure clinically important cognitive variability rather than reveal it. Two people with identical IQs can have very different memory, attention, language, and executive profiles, and only some of those profiles are clinically relevant to the referral question.
IQ tests were not designed to detect acquired cognitive impairment or to characterise selective deficits. A person can have a normal full-scale IQ and a clinically significant memory disorder, executive dysfunction, or language impairment that an IQ test simply does not measure. For most neurological and neuropsychiatric referral questions in Vancouver — memory change, post-injury cognitive concerns, suspected ADHD, epilepsy — IQ testing alone is insufficient and can be actively misleading if treated as a global measure of brain health.
What can and cannot be diagnosed by neuropsychological assessment?
Neuropsychology characterises cognitive and behavioural functioning and contributes to the diagnosis of conditions with cognitive features, but it does not, on its own, diagnose most neurological diseases. A neuropsychologist measures the cognitive consequences of brain dysfunction; structural and physiological causes are established by neurology, neuroimaging, and laboratory testing.
Neuropsychological assessment contributes meaningfully to the diagnosis of conditions such as ADHD, learning disorders, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia syndromes, and to the differential diagnosis between cognitive impairment and depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, or chronic pain. It does not diagnose conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain tumours, or epilepsy; those diagnoses rest on medical workup. A well-framed report makes this distinction clear and states what is, and is not, supported by the testing.
Do I need a referral for a neuropsychological assessment in BC?
A formal referral is not legally required to see a registered psychologist privately in British Columbia, including a clinical neuropsychologist. However, referrals from a family physician, neurologist, psychiatrist, or other specialist are strongly encouraged because they clarify the clinical question and ensure results return to the treating team.
Some extended health plans in BC require a physician referral for reimbursement even though provincial regulations do not. Patients are encouraged to check their plan before booking. In Vancouver, most adult neuropsychology referrals come from neurology, family medicine, psychiatry, and rehabilitation medicine.
How do I find a neuropsychologist in Vancouver or BC?
In British Columbia there are two practical starting points for finding a clinical neuropsychologist: the public register of registered psychologists, and the BC Psychological Association’s member directory.
The College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) maintains the public register of every registered psychologist in the province. The register lists each clinician’s registration number, training, and (where provided) areas of practice; filtering for neuropsychology is the most reliable way to confirm credentials. The BC Psychological Association (BCPA) directory is more searchable by city, language, and specialty but is opt-in and does not list every registered psychologist.
A referral is not legally required to see a private psychologist in BC, but many extended health plans require one for reimbursement. In Vancouver, most adult neuropsychology referrals come from neurology, family medicine, psychiatry, and rehabilitation medicine. Sparrow Neuropsychology accepts both physician referrals and direct enquiries from patients; see the contact page or book a free introductory consultation.
Do you see patients remotely or outside Vancouver?
Sparrow Neuropsychology provides in-person assessments in Vancouver, British Columbia. Remote or telehealth assessments are not offered at this time.
Patients from elsewhere in British Columbia are welcome to attend in person. Some preparatory steps — intake forms, record collection, the introductory consultation — can be handled by phone or email in advance, but the cognitive testing itself is conducted in person at the Vancouver clinic.
Can a neuropsychologist diagnose ADHD?
A clinical neuropsychologist in British Columbia can diagnose ADHD when the assessment includes a thorough developmental and clinical history, standardized rating scales, cognitive testing, and consideration of alternative explanations. Neuropsychological testing is not, by itself, diagnostic of ADHD.
ADHD is a clinical diagnosis: it requires a developmentally appropriate pattern of symptoms across settings, onset in childhood, and meaningful functional impairment. Cognitive tests of attention and executive function can support the diagnosis and identify co-occurring difficulties, but a person can perform within normal limits on these tests and still meet diagnostic criteria, and conversely, poor test performance is not specific to ADHD. A careful assessment also screens for the conditions that most often mimic ADHD in adults — anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and substance use — because misattribution is common.
Does extended health insurance cover neuropsychology in BC?
Many extended health plans in British Columbia provide partial or full coverage for services delivered by a registered psychologist, which includes a clinical neuropsychologist. Coverage caps, percentage reimbursement, and whether a referral is required vary considerably by insurer and plan.
Some plans have a combined annual cap for psychology services, which a neuropsychological assessment can exceed in a single appointment. Patients in Vancouver are encouraged to contact their insurer in advance with the relevant service codes and to ask specifically about coverage for neuropsychological assessment, not only therapy. Receipts for tax purposes are typically provided regardless of insurer coverage, because services from a registered psychologist are eligible medical expenses under federal tax rules.
What is the difference between psychoeducational and neuropsychological testing?
Psychoeducational testing focuses on learning, academic skills, and educational planning; neuropsychological testing looks more broadly at brain-based cognitive functions in the context of medical, neurological, or psychiatric conditions. The two overlap in tools but differ in scope.
In British Columbia, psychoeducational assessment is most commonly used to support post-secondary or admissions-test accommodations. Neuropsychological assessment is broader and is typically used when learning or cognitive concerns sit alongside a medical or neurological history.
Sparrow Neuropsychology offers both, for adults aged 16 and older. Paediatric and school-aged psychoeducational testing is not offered here; for children, a school-based or paediatric psychoeducational provider is the appropriate first step.
What is the difference between psychiatry and neuropsychology?
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that diagnoses and treats mental health conditions, including with medication, while neuropsychology is a specialty within clinical psychology that assesses brain-behaviour relationships using structured testing. The two roles are complementary rather than interchangeable.
A psychiatrist is a physician who can prescribe, order investigations, and provide ongoing medical management. A neuropsychologist is a registered psychologist with specialized training in brain-behaviour relationships, who conducts assessments and provides recommendations but does not prescribe. For complex cases in British Columbia — for example, an adult with epilepsy, depression, and cognitive complaints — care is often shared between psychiatry, neurology, family medicine, and neuropsychology.
How long does neuropsychological testing take?
A full neuropsychological assessment typically takes between four and eight hours of in-person contact, distributed across one or more days. Total turnaround from first appointment to delivered report is usually longer because of scoring, integration, review of records and history, and report writing.
Length depends on the referral question, the patient’s age, fatigue tolerance, and the complexity of the cognitive picture. Screening-level assessments can be shorter, while pre-surgical epilepsy evaluations and dementia workups are often longer. Reports at Sparrow Neuropsychology are typically delivered within two to three weeks; current scheduling lead times are noted on the contact page.
What is the current wait time for an assessment at Sparrow?
Current wait time for a neuropsychological assessment at Sparrow Neuropsychology is four to eight weeks, depending on urgency and complexity. Wait times reflect both clinical demand and the practice’s session structure (one or more in-person testing appointments plus a feedback meeting after the report).
Up-to-date scheduling information is on the contact page. A free 15-minute introductory consultation can be booked separately and is usually available within a shorter window than a full assessment.
How much does a neuropsychological assessment cost in BC?
Neuropsychological assessment in private practice in British Columbia is typically priced as a package that reflects interview, record review, testing, scoring, interpretation, report writing, and a feedback session. Fees vary by complexity and by clinician.
A standard clinical neuropsychological assessment at Sparrow Neuropsychology is $3,900. This is an all-inclusive package covering the clinical interview, testing, scoring, interpretation, the written report, and a feedback session. Many extended health plans reimburse part or all of this cost — see Does extended health insurance cover neuropsychology in BC? above. Patients are encouraged to confirm their coverage with their insurer in advance and can request a written fee estimate before booking. If cost is a barrier to a needed assessment, please get in touch to discuss options.
Is neuropsychology covered by MSP in British Columbia?
Neuropsychological assessment in private practice is typically not covered by the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP), because MSP does not fund services delivered by registered psychologists.
For select conditions patients can access publicly funded neuropsychological assessment through hospital services such as those at Vancouver General Hospital, BC Children’s Hospital, and other regional centres, when they meet program-specific eligibility criteria and are referred by a treating physician. Wait times in the public system are often substantial. Private assessment is one alternative; here eligibility for partial or full reimbursement through extended health benefits is a common funding pathway.
When is neuropsychology useful for memory concerns in older adults?
Neuropsychological assessment is useful when memory complaints in an older adult need to be distinguished from normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, or an emerging neurodegenerative process. It establishes a careful cognitive baseline and characterises the pattern of strengths and weaknesses across memory, language, attention, executive function, and visuospatial skills.
The pattern of test findings — for example, predominantly amnestic versus dysexecutive versus language-led — helps clarify the most likely underlying process and informs follow-up planning with neurology, geriatrics, or family medicine. Assessment is most informative when results are interpreted alongside medical workup, including blood work and neuroimaging where indicated. For older adults in Vancouver and across British Columbia, neuropsychological assessment can also support decisions about driving, financial management, and capacity, though formal capacity assessment is a separate process.
What is mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and when is neuropsychology helpful for it?
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) describes measurable cognitive decline beyond what is expected for a person’s age and education, without a level of impairment that meets criteria for dementia. People with MCI typically function independently in daily life but notice slips in memory, attention, or other thinking skills that family or close colleagues also recognise.
Neuropsychological assessment is particularly useful in MCI because it documents the specific pattern of strengths and weaknesses — predominantly amnestic, dysexecutive, language-led, or mixed. The pattern matters clinically: it helps clarify the most likely underlying process, informs follow-up planning with neurology, geriatrics, or family medicine, and provides a baseline against which any future change can be measured.
Not every adult with memory complaints meets criteria for MCI. Many cognitive symptoms are better explained by mood, sleep, pain, or medication effects, all of which can produce genuine difficulty without measurable impairment on testing. A careful assessment distinguishes these and points to the most useful next steps.
Is neuropsychological assessment indicated after concussion or mild TBI?
Neuropsychological assessment is generally not indicated in the first weeks after an uncomplicated concussion because most people recover without formal testing. It becomes more useful when cognitive symptoms persist beyond the expected recovery window, when symptoms are disproportionate to the injury, or when return-to-work, school, or sport decisions are complex.
Persistent post-concussion cognitive symptoms are frequently multifactorial: sleep disruption, mood symptoms, pain, vestibular dysfunction, and deconditioning all contribute. A neuropsychological assessment helps disentangle these contributors and produce realistic recommendations rather than attributing every symptom to the injury itself. Validity and effort testing is a standard and necessary part of the assessment.
How accurate are online cognitive tests?
Online cognitive tests are not a substitute for a clinical neuropsychological assessment, and they should not be used to diagnose conditions such as ADHD, dementia, or post-concussion cognitive impairment. Most lack the supervised administration, normative data, validity checks, and clinical interpretation that make standardized testing diagnostically useful.
Some online tools have a defensible role as screening or research instruments, particularly those developed in academic settings with published norms. Even these are best understood as one piece of information rather than a diagnostic result. A low score on an online test in someone who is anxious about their cognition often reflects anxiety, distraction, or test conditions rather than brain disease; a normal score does not rule out a clinically meaningful problem.
What if testing finds nothing wrong?
A neuropsychological assessment that does not find cognitive impairment is still a clinically meaningful result. It documents that the person’s cognitive performance falls within expected limits given their age, education, and background, which has implications for diagnosis, reassurance, and planning.
A normal cognitive profile does not mean the person’s experience is invented. It often redirects the clinical question toward mood, sleep, pain, medication effects, or life stressors, all of which can produce genuine cognitive symptoms without measurable impairment on testing. Documenting a normal baseline is also valuable for future comparison if concerns recur.
About the author
Sparrow Neuropsychology is led by Dr. Christopher Benjamin, a registered clinical neuropsychologist in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dr. Benjamin holds a casual appointment at Vancouver General Hospital and is an adjunct Associate Professor at Yale University, with clinical and research interests in epilepsy and adult neuropsychology. More information is available on the about page.
Contact
To enquire about an assessment, referral process, or fees, see the contact page.
Medical disclaimer
This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical, psychological, or legal advice. It is not a substitute for assessment, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified clinician. If you are concerned about your own or another person’s cognitive functioning, contact your family physician or a qualified specialist.