HDSA Center of Excellence at Hennepin County Medical Center

Neuropsychology

What can a neuropsychologist do for the Huntington's Disease patient? 

If a person with HD is having problems with memory or thinking, the neuropsychologist

can perform tests to help understand how different areas and systems in the brain are working.  The neuropsychologist will have the patient perform a wide variety of tasks

which can evaluate the patient’s intelligence, problem solving, planning and organization, attention, memory and learning and language.  The results can help determine a patient’s baseline level of functioning.  This can be helpful to understand changes in a patient’s

skill level as they progress through the stages of HD.  This can be helpful for disability determination.  It can also be used to determine which areas of the brain are being affected which can assist in diagnosis. 

Meet the Staff:

David E. Tupper, Ph.D., L.P., A.B.P.P. Director, Neuropsychology Associate Professor of Neurology, U of MN Medical School Education/Outreach Activities Team member of the HD clinic since 1993 Member of the HD Operations Committee HD-Predict Cognitive examiner Member of the Huntington Study Group Presenter at local and national meetings about the cognitive consequences of HD Conducted or participated in several clinical research projects at HCMC Written/published on HD and other movement disorders

Contact Information:

Telephone: 612-873-2599
Email: tuppe001@maroon.tc.umn.edu

Special Note: We would like to acknowledge and thank the HCMC Service League for providing grant funds to help maintain these web pages.