Abstract

Objective

Neuropsychological assessment is integral to the pre-surgical deep brain stimulation (DBS) workup for patients with movement disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic quickly affected care access and shifted healthcare delivery, and neuropsychology has adapted successfully to provide tele-neuropsychological (teleNP) DBS evaluations during this time, thus permanently changing the landscape of neuropsychological practice. Method: In this paper, we discuss the lessons learned from the pandemic and we offer care management guidelines for teleNP and in-person evaluations of pre-DBS populations, with exploration of the feasibility of the different approaches for uninterrupted care access. Results: We summarize the strengths and weaknesses of these care models and we provide future directions for the state of clinical neuropsychological practice for DBS programs, with implications for broader patient populations. Conclusions: A better understanding of these dynamics will inform and educate the DBS team and community regarding the complexities of performing DBS neuropsychological evaluations during COVID-19 and beyond.

摘要

客观的

神经心理学评估是运动障碍患者术前深部脑刺激 (DBS) 检查的组成部分。COVID-19 大流行迅速影响了医疗服务的获取并改变了医疗保健的提供方式，神经心理学在此期间成功地适应了提供远程神经心理学 (teleNP) DBS 评估，从而永久性地改变了神经心理学实践的格局。方法：在本文中，我们讨论了从大流行中汲取的教训，并为远程NP 和DBS 前人群的现场评估提供了护理管理指南，并探索了不同方法实现不间断护理访问的可行性。结果：我们总结了这些护理模式的优缺点，并为 DBS 项目的临床神经心理学实践状态提供了未来方向，并对更广泛的患者群体产生影响。结论：对这些动态的更好理解将告知和教育 DBS 团队和社区在 COVID-19 及以后进行 DBS 神经心理学评估的复杂性。