The Neuropsychology and Behavioural Neurology Unit at the University of Basel is an interdisciplinary research unit in the fields of psychology, neurology, psychiatry and clinical neuroscience. Research in this area investigates the complex interactions between brain, behaviour and environment. Our research methods encompass behavioural assessments, neuropsychometric tests as well as brain imaging techniques. Our unit belongs to the Transfaculty Research Platform Psychiatry and Psychology (Directors: Prof. Dr. A Papassotiropoulos, Prof. Dr. D. de Quervain) and works in collaboration with the Clinic of Neurology (Head and Chief: Prof. Dr. Dr. L. Kappos), the Neurological Policlinic (Head: Prof.Dr. J. Kulhe/Prof. Dr. T. Derfuss) and the Department of Neurophysiology, Epilepsy and Movement Disorders (Prof. Dr. P. Fuhr, Prof. Dr. S. Rüegg) of the University Hospital Basel. Moreover, we closely collaborate with the ASIM (Academy of SWISS Insurance Medicine, University Hospital Basel, lic.iur. Y. Bollag, Dr. G. Risi) and also with research groups in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, and the US.
Due to our manyfold cooperations we can usually offer our students the opportunity of participating in/attending neurological ward rounds at the University Hospital and clinical assessments of various psychiatric and neurologic patients.
Neuropsychological monitoring during awake Craniotomy
Since a maximal resection of malignant brain tumors has proven to be a favourable prognostic factor for survival the aim is to preserve the patient’s cognitive and neurological functions. In our work group (Prof.Dr. Luigi Mariani, PD Dr. Dominik Cordier, Dept. of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Basel, Prof.Dr. Pasquale Calabrese, Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology unit, Univ. Basel) we perform neuropsychological monitoring of patients undergoing awake craniotomy during the different stages (i.e. pre-, intra- and post-operatively, as well as long-term follow-up). In an interdisciplinary team, headed by a neurosurgeon, neuropsychological testing, as well as intra-operative mapping and monitoring of various cognitive, behavioral and neurological functions is performed. By using this approach, we aim to achieve the most favourable outcome for those patients whose tumours are located within or adjacent to functionally relevant brain regions. Moreover, by analyzing the different clinical, paraclinical and psychosocial data we also aim to identify pertinent outcome determinants.
