Maybe your doctor suggested testing after you mentioned forgetting things, or you have been reading about the first signs of cognitive decline and recognized a few. Maybe a parent's memory has changed, or recovery after a concussion is taking longer than anyone expected.
Either way, the first thing most people ask is how long it will take. The neuropsychological assessment should usually take somewhere between 3 and 6 hours of actual testing, though the full process stretches a bit longer than that.
How Long Neuropsychological Testing Takes
At BNBA, a full neuropsychological evaluation takes 3 to 6 hours. You can get it done in one visit, or break it into two if sitting through a whole afternoon of tests (or taking a full day off work) is not realistic for you.
That sits well within the usual range. According to the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, a quick screening might take about an hour, while a full assessment can run past 8 hours, sometimes over several appointments.
Keep in mind the testing itself is not the whole thing. There is an intake appointment where the doctor takes a look at your medical history beforehand, and afterward the neuropsychologist still has to score everything, interpret it, and write up the report. So when you book your consultation, it's worth asking how long the report may take to come back.
Why Some Neuropsychological Evaluations Take Longer Than Others
Mostly, it comes down to why you are being tested. If the question is ADHD, the set of tests is narrower, which is why BNBA offers ADHD testing as its own evaluation. Memory changes are different. The cause could be early dementia, an old stroke or even depression – and telling those apart takes a wider range of tests.
Moreover, some people move quickly through the tasks, others need more time or more breaks. Pain, fatigue, or a health condition can make the long sessions more challenging, and the questionnaires about mood and daily life add a little time too.
If attention problems only started to bother you as an adult, our post on whether ADHD can develop later in life explains why so many people are first diagnosed in adulthood.
Breaks are normal and expected. Results are more accurate when you are not worn out, which is one reason conducting the evaluation over two sessions is an option.
What the Assessment Measures
Most of the tests are puzzles, questions, and short tasks. AACN describes them as standardized tests that use spoken questions, paper and pencil, computers, and materials such as blocks and puzzles. Nothing is invasive. There are no needles and no scans.
At BNBA, the evaluation looks at:
Memory
Attention
Processing speed, meaning how quickly you take in and respond to information
Language
Problem-solving and executive function, such as planning, organizing and switching between tasks
Visual-spatial skills
Emotional functioning
You may not do well on everything, and you are not meant to either. Many tests start easy and get gradually harder, and the examiner stops each one after you miss a few in a row. That stopping point shows where your skills currently sit, which is exactly what the neuropsychologist needs to know.
What Happens Before, During and After the Testing
Intake and Your History
You can reach BNBA's intake team by phone, through the intake form, or through the patient portal. Intake is usually scheduled within a week. The clinician will want to understand what changed, when it started and how it affects your daily life. Bring a list of your medications and any records from your doctor, neurologist, or earlier testing.
Don't be surprised if your clinician asks to speak with someone close to you, like a spouse, partner, or child (given your consent, of course). Family members often pick up on changes long before you do, which is why the American Academy of Family Physicians treats that conversation as a normal part of the interview.
The Testing Session
The testing itself happens one-on-one, in a quiet room. Sometimes the neuropsychologist sits across from you, and sometimes it's a psychometrist, a technician trained to run these tests under the neuropsychologist's supervision. Most of the session includes short tasks back-to-back, with breaks along the way.
The Report and Recommendations
After your last task, the work moves to the neuropsychologist. They score each test, look at the results as a whole, and write a detailed report with recommendations specific to you. According to AACN, they may also set up a follow-up appointment to talk you through what they found. When you book, check whether that visit is included, because it is the best time to ask about anything in the report that is not clear.
What Your Results Can and Can't Tell You
Each score is measured against people your age, and often against people with a similar amount of schooling. Put together, this in-depth analysis shows the neuropsychologist what skills you have in the normal range, traits that stand out as strengths, and anything that may fall below what we may expect.
No single score tells the whole story though. Weak memory on its own points somewhere quite different from slow thinking, poor attention and low mood showing up together. The report takes that pattern and turns it into next steps: maybe practical strategies for work and home, further medical tests or treatment, or simply a baseline to compare against in a year or two.
There are two things testing cannot do on its own.
It does not diagnose dementia by itself. AAFP describes neuropsychological results as one input that clinicians integrate with your history and other medical findings. A diagnosis such as Alzheimer's disease comes from putting all of that together, usually with your doctor or neurologist.
It reflects how you were doing that day. Poor sleep, illness, pain, strong anxiety or depression can all pull scores down, and symptoms can overlap enough that anxiety is sometimes misdiagnosed as something else. That is why the clinician asks about them, and why you should let us know if anything was off on the day.
How to Prepare for Your Appointment
You cannot study for these tests, and you do not need to. What helps is arriving as close to your usual self as possible:
Sleep well the night before and eat beforehand
Bring your glasses or hearing aids if you use them
Take your usual medications unless your clinician tells you otherwise
Bring your medication list and any earlier test results
Plan for a long appointment, and avoid booking anything stressful right after it
Neuropsychological Testing at BNBA
BNBA offers neuropsychological testing for adults 18 and older, at our dedicated Massachusetts locations only. People are referred for many reasons, including memory changes, dementia concerns, stroke, traumatic brain injury and concussion, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, ADHD, learning disabilities, and cognitive changes after surgery, chemotherapy, or long COVID.
BNBA is in-network with Medicare, Medicaid, and major commercial plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare. Coverage for testing depends on your plan, so check the Massachusetts insurance page and confirm when you call.
Ready to book? Call (508) 979-5557 or request an appointment, or read more about neuropsychological testing at BNBA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Fail a Neuropsychological Test?
There is no score you need to hit. The neuropsychologist looks at how you did compared with people around your age, so struggling on a few tasks is expected, and it is often where the most useful information comes from.
Can Neuropsychological Testing Be Done in One Day?
It can. At BNBA the full evaluation runs 3 to 6 hours, and you can either finish it in one visit or spread it over two shorter sessions if a long day is not practical for you.
Does Neuropsychological Testing Diagnose Dementia?
Testing alone does not confirm dementia. What it does is show which thinking skills have changed and how much. Your doctor or neurologist then puts that together with your medical history, an exam, and other tests before making a diagnosis.
Is Neuropsychological Testing Covered by Insurance?
That depends on your plan. BNBA is in-network with Medicare, Medicaid and major commercial insurers like Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare, but coverage for testing can still vary, so confirm what yours covers when you call (508) 979-5557.