Neuropsychiatry
Neuropsychiatry is the combination of Psychiatry and Neurology that deals with mental disorders, which in most cases can be shown to have their origin from an identifiable brain malfunction. Psychiatrists have laid claim to illnesses of the mind. Major Neuropsychiatric Conditions include the following: Addictions, Eating disorders, Degenerative diseases, Mood disorders, Neurotic disorders, Psychosis & Sleep disorders.
Addictions
Addiction is a condition in which a person engages in use of a substance or in a behavior for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeatedly pursue the behavior despite detrimental consequences. Addiction may involve the use of substances such as alcohol, inhalants, opioids, cocaine, nicotine, and others, or behaviors such as gambling; there is scientific evidence that the addictive substances and behaviors share a key neurobiological feature—they intensely activate brain pathways of reward and reinforcement, many of which involve the neurotransmitter dopamine. Both substance use disorders and gambling behaviors have an increased likelihood of being accompanied by mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety or other pre-existing problems. Substance use and gambling disorders not only engage many of the same brain mechanisms of compulsivity, they respond to many of the same approaches to treatment.
Learn more about Addictions
Mental Health Disorders
A mental disorder, also called a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitting, or occur as a single episode. Many disorders have been described, with signs and symptoms that vary widely between specific disorders. Such disorders may be diagnosed by a mental health professional.
The causes of mental disorders are often unclear. Theories may incorporate findings from a range of fields. Mental disorders are usually defined by a combination of how a person behaves, feels, perceives, or thinks. This may be associated with particular regions or functions of the brain, often in a social context. A mental disorder is one aspect of mental health. Cultural and religious beliefs, as well as social norms, should be taken into account when making a diagnosis.
Common mental disorders include depression, which affects about 400 million, dementia which affects about 35 million, and schizophrenia, which affects about 21 million people globally. Stigma and discrimination can add to the suffering and disabilityassociated with mental disorders, leading to various social movements attempting to increase understanding and challenge social exclusion.
Conversion Disorders
Functional neurologic disorders — a newer and broader term that includes what some people call conversion disorder — feature nervous system (neurological) symptoms that can’t be explained by a neurological disease or other medical condition. However, the symptoms are real and cause significant distress or problems functioning.
Signs and symptoms vary, depending on the type of functional neurologic disorder, and may include specific patterns. Typically these disorders affect your movement or your senses, such as the ability to walk, swallow, see or hear. Symptoms can vary in severity and may come and go or be persistent. However, you can’t intentionally produce or control your symptoms.
The cause of functional neurologic disorders is unknown. The condition may be triggered by a neurological disorder or by a reaction to stress or psychological or physical trauma, but that’s not always the case. Functional neurologic disorders are related to how the brain functions, rather than damage to the brain’s structure (such as from a stroke, multiple sclerosis, infection or injury).
Early diagnosis and treatment, especially education about the condition, can help with recovery. Learn more about Conversion Disorders.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.
Signs and Symptoms
People with OCD may have symptoms of obsessions, compulsions, or both. These symptoms can interfere with all aspects of life, such as work, school, and personal relationships. Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause anxiety.
Common symptoms include:
- Excessive cleaning and/or handwashing
- Ordering and arranging things in a particular, precise way
- Repeatedly checking on things, such as repeatedly checking to see if the door is locked or that the oven is off
- Compulsive counting
Learn more about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
Tourette’s Syndrome
Tourette (too-RET) syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the pioneering French neurologist who in 1885 first described the condition in an 86-year-old French noblewoman.
The early symptoms of Tourette Syndrome are typically noticed first in childhood, with the average onset between the ages of 3 and 9 years. Tourette Syndrome occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about three to four times more often than females. It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of Tourette Syndrome, and as many as one in 100 exhibit milder and less complex symptoms such as chronic motor or vocal tics. Although Tourette Syndrome can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the condition experience their worst tic symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood.
Learn more about Tourette’s syndrome.
Mood Disorders
A person with a mood disorder has a distorted emotional state or mood, or inconsistent with circumstances and interferes with ability to function. He may be extremely sad, empty or irritable (depressed). He may have periods of depression alternating with being excessively happy (mania).
Anxiety disorders also affect mood and often occur along with depression. Mood disorders may increase risk of suicide.
Some examples of mood disorders include:
– Major depressive disorder – prolonged and persistent periods of extreme sadness
– Bipolar disorder – also called manic depression or bipolar affective disorder, depression that includes alternating times of depression and mania.
– Depression-related to medical illness — a persistent depressed mood and a significant loss of pleasure in most or all activities that’s directly related to the physical effects of another medical condition
– Depression-induced by substance use or medication ― depression symptoms that develop during or soon after substance use or withdrawal or after exposure to a medication
For most people, mood disorders can be successfully treated with medications and talk therapy (psychotherapy).
Treatment for Neuropsychiatric and Mental Health Disorders at The NeuroCognitive & Behavioral Institute
An Interdisciplinary Clinical Team Approach
We use a multi-layered treatment approach when treating neuropsychiatric and mental health disorders. Patients are treated by an interdisciplinary team of clinicians that includes: a clinical neuropsychologist, a clinical psychologist or behaviorist, a cognitive rehab/speech language therapist and a neuromodulation clinician.
We provide a comprehensive combination of traditional, complementary, as well as, experimental treatments not typically available at any other clinics. For instance, when treating cognitive disorders we typically treat by combining cognitive rehabilitation, with cognitive enhancers, and one or more forms of neuromodulation superimposed on comprehensive behavioral health plan that utilizes specific nutrition requirements, heart-rate variability training, maximizing sleep and the reduction of stress. Similar combination therapies are used for treating a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions such as OCD, as well as, in the treatment of chronic pain and fatigue.
Some of these treatments and consultation options include:
Neurocognitive Rehabilitation
Patients admitted to the cognitive rehabilitation program enter a module based on their primary type of cognitive impairment, e.g., the Attention, Working Memory and Executive System impairment module. Each patient will receive specific treatments for this type of cognitive disorder using a combination of remedial, adaptive and compensatory interventions that have been developed at the NeuroCognitive Institute for their module.
Neuromodulation
We often combine cognitive and language rehabilitation with neuromodulation. Neuromodulation is evolving as a treatment option for treating the cognitive, behavioral and psychiatric symptoms and deficits resulting from neuropsychiatric and mental health disorders.
Techniques include invasive procedures such as deep brain stimulation and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), as well as, non-invasive techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS, neurofeedback and rTMS.
At NCI, we only use non-invasive neuromodulation intervention combined with other rehabilitation interventions to enhance treatment response.
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and language therapy focuses on improving speech and abilities to understand and express language.
NCI has speech therapists who can help assess speech delays, restore speech and language skills from young children to adults with neuropsychiatric and mental health disorders.
Behavioral Health Interventions
Behavioral health interventions focus on changing or modifying a patient’s lifestyle such as diet and introducing specific exercise programs to enhance cortical and cognitive functioning.
Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals
We use various medications to treat the cognitive, neurobehavioral and neuropsychiatric deficits and symptoms of neuropsychiatric and mental health disorders.
Contact Us
If you or know anyone who needs help, contact The NeuroCognitive & Behavioral Institute for assessment and treatment. Call (973) 601 0100 or sign up as a new patient and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
