Adults & older adults after injury, stroke or concussion
Understanding your thinking after a brain injury.
A neuropsychological assessment of memory, attention and thinking after injury, stroke or concussion, in Southport and across the Gold Coast, and by telehealth where that is suitable.
After a head injury, stroke or concussion, it can be hard to know what has changed and what to expect.
A neuropsychological assessment measures memory, attention and other thinking skills carefully, compares them to what is expected, and helps map the path back to work, study, sport and daily life. We see people in Southport and across the Gold Coast, and by telehealth where that is suitable.
What it clarifies
What an assessment can clarify
Two injuries are never quite the same, and the effects on thinking can be subtle. Detailed cognitive testing can help clarify:
- Which thinking skills have been affected, and which are working well, across memory, attention, processing speed, language, visuospatial skills and executive function (the brain's planning and self-management system)
- How significant any changes are, set against what is expected for your age and background
- A baseline to measure recovery against over time, which is often the most useful result of all
- Whether difficulties reflect the injury itself, or other contributors such as fatigue, pain, sleep, mood or medication, which are common after injury and often treatable
- What the findings mean for returning to work, study, driving or sport, and at what pace
- The strategies and supports that will help, and where rehabilitation should focus
A neuropsychological assessment describes the cognitive picture and contributes to your care. The underlying medical diagnosis and its management rest with your treating doctors, such as your GP, neurologist or rehabilitation specialist, who draw together the assessment with your history, examination and any scans. If you are living with an ongoing neurological condition such as multiple sclerosis or epilepsy, see our neurological conditions page.
When to consider one
When an assessment helps
After concussion, most people recover well, and assessment is often about reassurance, pacing and a sensible return plan rather than long-term concern. Where difficulties persist or the injury is more significant, a detailed profile helps target rehabilitation to what will make the most difference.
- Thinking, memory or concentration have not returned to normal after a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury, including sport-related concussion
- A person is recovering from a stroke, a more significant traumatic brain injury, or a brain illness, and needs their thinking profiled to plan rehabilitation
- It is unclear whether ongoing difficulties reflect the injury, fatigue or mood, or a combination
- A baseline or follow-up would help, including to measure recovery, or before a planned return to demanding work or study
- There are questions about return to work, study, driving or sport, and a careful, objective picture would help that decision
- A medico-legal or insurance matter requires the cognitive effects of an injury to be documented (see our medico-legal assessment page)
What is involved
Paced around recovery
A typical assessment includes a clinical interview, a testing session, and time for scoring, interpretation and a written report. Plan for a morning or an afternoon for the testing, sometimes split across two visits, and we pace the session around fatigue, which is common after injury. Where possible and with consent, we like to speak with a family member or someone who knows you well, because they often notice changes that are hard to describe yourself.
Where the question is about recovery, a brief follow-up assessment some months later lets us measure change directly against your baseline. Being rested helps. Bring glasses and hearing aids if used, a list of medications, and any previous reports, scans or letters from your treating team.
“A baseline measured early is the clearest way to track recovery later.”
What you receive
A report that maps the way forward
A written report in plain language that describes which thinking skills have been affected and which are intact, sets the results against what is expected, and gives practical recommendations for rehabilitation and for return to work, study or sport. Where it is a follow-up, the report sets out what has changed since the baseline. With your consent we share it with your GP, specialist or rehabilitation team. Where findings need prompt attention, we phone them through.
Cost & funding
Clear on cost before we begin
Fees for this assessment are quoted at intake, and we confirm the fee with you before we begin. Neuropsychological assessment is not rebated under Medicare's Better Access program. After injury, assessments are commonly funded through WorkCover Queensland, compulsory third party (CTP) motor accident insurance, the NDIS, DVA or another insurer, or privately. We confirm the fee and the funding pathway before booking. See our Fees and Policies page.
Take the next step
If you have a referral or a question, request an appointment or call 0452 452 262. GPs, specialists, rehabilitation providers and insurers can refer through our referrer page. You do not need a referral for a private appointment.
Request an appointmentSources: Concussion in Sport Australia, Position statement and the Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport. McCrory P, et al., Consensus statement on concussion in sport (Amsterdam 2022), British Journal of Sports Medicine. Stroke Foundation (Australia), Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management (cognition and rehabilitation). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Head injury: assessment and early management (NICE guideline NG232), 2023.