Neuropsychology: A brief note about a very long word.

Neuropsychology is the study of the relationship between the structure and functioning of the brain and everyday behavior. Although we all share the same planet, each of us sees, hears, touches and smells our own individual universe of experience. Art, music, dance, and to some degree language, allow us to share our experiences, yet we often fail to 'connect' at an interpersonal level.

Man is a social animal. This means that we each have a unique role within the tribe of mankind. Although these differences often divide us, such individual distinctiveness also means that all of us together can accomplish more than any one of us could ever manage by ourselves. We are each and everyone of us a one of a kind piece of the human puzzle and when we 'fit' together there is no challenge too great for us to overcome.

The most basic unit of the 'human tribe' is the family. In thirty-seven years of research with over 5000 patients, I have never seen a couple whose neuropsychological configurations, which are made up of: Perception - what I notice in what I see, and Cognition - how I think about what I notice, were exactly the same. Indeed, many couples have often remarked that they can't seem to agree about anything.

This is part of nature's plan that serves both the physical and emotional health of their children, or one of mother nature's bad jokes depending on how you look at it. For example, if one marital partner works more out of the left side of the brain (misses the forest for the trees) than their mate will be more right brained (misses the trees for the forest). Such differing parental perspectives on life provide their children a greater advantage when these youngsters confront the assortment of challenges that arise in daily living.

In the arena of parent-child interactions, it is almost always the case that the child with whom a parent has the most difficulty will be the youngster who is most like that parent. However, as a fellow parent, it is important not to despair over such conflicts as when that youngster reaches the age of thirty (the age at which the brain is fully mature), he or she will be your best friend.