Subcortical Structures
and Cognition

Chapter 9

Thought in Action - Procedural Learning, Processing Speed, and Automaticity

 

Most neuropsychological or cognitive evaluation tasks are dependent upon dorsolateral-prefrontal channels. A number of functions necessary for adaptation do not require significant dorsolateral input, and because of this, neuropsychological evaluations leave certain critical functions untouched or untapped.

This chapter examines what traditional neuropsychological evaluation does not assess. Different phases of procedural learning are examined, and suggestions for evaluating these processes are presented.