Neuropsychological assessment of developmental learning disabilities in adults

Neuropsychology has a relatively brief history in the assessment of developmental learning disabilities (DLD) in adults. For a discipline that conceptualizes clinical assessment on the basis of neurologic understanding, DLD continues to be a challenge, even today because its neurology remains relatively unknown. Nonetheless, there have been important advances in understanding the underlying brain differences in this population as well as the advancement of theory-driven models for assessment. In the context of this body of information, neuropsychological assessment provides a comprehensive means of diagnosing DLD in adults. This article describes components of a specialized neuropsychological protocol developed to diagnose DLD in adults.