FAQs

1. What is a neuropsychological examination?
   A neuropsychological examination is essentially a quantitative and qualitative assessment of brain-behavior relationships (see Neuropsychological Evaluations on this website).
2. How long does it take to get a report?
   On average, reports are turned around within one or two weeks after the last date of assessment.
3. Will the doctor review the test results with me?
   Dr. McDonough will conduct a clinical interview prior to the testing and will review the testing data with you at a date after the testing is completed (unless it is an IME or for some other reason). At that time, both strengths and weaknesses seen in the data will be explained as well as any treatment recommendations and follow-up suggestions.
4. I fell recently and hit my head, but the CT scan was normal and I did not lose consciousness. Could I still have had a head injury?
   Many times, the CT can be normal and a patient still could have acquired a significant brain injury. A loss of consciousness is not required for the diagnosis of a concussion and there still possibly may be neuropsychological problems in spite of these negative findings.
5. What is a mild traumatic brain injury?
   Mild traumatic brain injury is characterized by no loss of consciousness or a brief loss of consciousness. In general, most people with mild traumatic brain injuries show significant improvement within three months after their injury though for some patients this takes longer.
6. Do you treat brain injury?
   Cognitive remediation services are available at Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas as well as individual services. Depending on the area of town in which you live, you may be referred to a specific program or seen in Dr. McDonough’s service for individual treatment.
7. How can I learn more about issues related to various forms of head injury and trauma?
   Dr. McDonough is on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation. The foundation is a good source of information and networking regarding brain injury. Click on the following link to reach the foundation: >> San Diego Brain Injury Foundation.
8. What if I have a question answered that is not outlined under the FAQ’s?
   You can reach us at doctor@sdneuro.com. Unless you have contacted Dr. McDonough before, the initial contact may be read as spam mail. If this is the case, merely fill out the form to allow your mail to go through to Dr. McDonough. Put the word “neuropsychology” in the subject heading and if your mail does go into the spam file, We will see it based on that subject heading term (e.g. “neuropsychology”) and answer your e-mail as soon as reasonably possible. You can also call the office (760) 944-9647 to discuss any questions or concerns you have with Dr. McDonough.