CONTEMPORARY NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

Neuropsychology constitutes the scientific basis of a specialized prof essional practice. As other sciences, it has been structured throughou t its history and it has suffered important changes in its evolution p rocess. Neuropsychology emerged in a clinical context in which detecti on and localization of the cerebral damage constituted a complex diagn ostic job. However, due to the technological advances in diagnosis, th e neuropsychological role in the mental health area has changed and im proved because of their contributions regarding the functioning of the neurons system. Even though neuropsychology still plays an important role in the patient's interdisciplinary diagnosis, it now performs a s ignificant job in the rehabilitation process. On the other hand, the i ncorporation of concepts derived from cognitive psychology and the nee d to implement diagnosis and rehabilitation techniques closely related with the patient's daily reality, have originated dynamic neuropsycho logy as a trend which applies the principles of the brain-behavior rel ation studies to clinics, taking into consideration the various factor s of the particular context of each subject.