Scuola di Specializzazione in Neuropsicologia

The School of Neuropsychology

The Specialty School in Neuropsychology at Sapienza University of Rome was the first Neuropsychology School established in Italy. It was founded in 1999 by Professor Luigi Pizzamiglio, who held the first chair of Neuropsychology in Rome and was the founder of the Neuropsychology Research Center at the Santa Lucia Clinic. Several generations of neuropsychologists have been trained in the departments and clinics of this private hospital, which later became a scientific research and treatment institute. Currently, the trainees carry out their clinical activities exclusively in this institution during the first two years of their training.

With the reform of 2006, the School expanded from four to five years and became authorized for psychotherapy practice. In 2019, the duration of the School returned to four years while maintaining the authorization for psychotherapy practice. After the retirement of Luigi Pizzamiglio, the School was directed by Salvatore Aglioti, Pierluigi Zoccolotti, and Cecilia Guariglia. Since 2018, it has been directed by Gaspare Galati.

The School trains specialists who are equipped to carry out clinical interventions in healthcare and other institutions, with specific competencies in neuropsychological practice, including prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation. The School grants the title of specialist in Neuropsychology and enables the practice of psychotherapy.

The Neuropsychology specialist

The specialist in Neuropsychology must acquire theoretical, scientific, and professional knowledge in the field of cognitive and emotional-motivational disorders associated with lesions or dysfunctions of the nervous system in various stages of life (development, adulthood, and old age), with particular emphasis on behavioral diagnostics using psychometric tests, neuropsychological, cognitive, and behavioral rehabilitation and habilitation, monitoring the temporal evolution of such deficits, and interdisciplinary subspecialist aspects such as forensic psychology. In particular, they must possess knowledge and experience necessary to carry out and coordinate the activities required to identify cognitive and emotional-motivational deficits determined by brain lesions or dysfunctions (language deficits, aphasia, reading and writing disorders; visual and spatial perception deficits, agnosia, and unilateral spatial neglect; memory deficits, amnesia; attention deficits, motor behavior programming and execution deficits; awareness deficits, executive function deficits, regulation of emotions and behavior deficits; social cognition deficits), evaluate the aforementioned deficits using qualitative and quantitative methods specific to neuropsychology, analyze quantitative findings using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including the use of computer technologies, organize rehabilitation and habilitation programs for cognitive and emotional-motivational deficits, and interventions aimed at promoting functional compensation through the use of remaining abilities, promote, implement, and evaluate neuropsychological, psychotherapeutic, and community interventions aimed at promoting the recovery of psychophysical and psychosocial well-being.

The specialist will acquire skills and methods for transdisciplinary and interprofessional work (teamwork) centered on the patient and oriented towards problem-solving and the family and socio-occupational integration or reintegration of individuals with neuropsychological disorders, with the aim of promoting active participation and functional autonomy.

The training objectives

General training objectives: knowledge of the fundamentals of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, with particular reference to the neural basis of cognitive and emotional-motivational processes and their development; knowledge of the genetic and neurophysiological bases of cognitive and emotional-motivational deficits in neuropsychology; knowledge of elements of neuropsychopharmacology; knowledge of electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques in their applications in neuropsychology; knowledge of psychometric methods and the use of computerized systems in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of neuropsychology; knowledge of the epidemiology of neuropsychological disorders; knowledge of the organization and legislation of social and healthcare services; knowledge of the history of neuropsychology, in its psychological, neurological, and neurophysiological aspects.

Specific training objectives: knowledge of the pathological cognitive and emotional-motivational mechanisms and their neurophysiopathological bases that determine language disorders, visuospatial abilities, attention, motor programming, memory, and behavior planning in their cognitive and emotional-motivational aspects at different stages of life; knowledge of the neuropsychological aspects of psychiatric syndromes and non-neurological pathologies; knowledge of neuroplasticity phenomena in relation to the functional recovery of cognitive and emotional-motivational deficits; acquisition of transdisciplinary and interprofessional work skills and methods (teamwork) focused on the patient and oriented towards the solution of neuropsychological issues and functional recovery through restoration, compensation, or development of cognitive, behavioral, and affective-emotional deficient skills, in order to promote the reintegration of individuals with disabilities into their environment and enhance their functional autonomy and participatory capacity.

Training objectives common to all specialization schools in the psychological field: general theoretical knowledge and basic experiences of the main assessment and counseling techniques for prevention, rehabilitation, and habilitation, and the treatment of psychological and behavioral issues throughout the lifespan; general theoretical knowledge and clinical experiences in psychometric and observational assessment methods for diagnosing neuropsychological, psychological, and behavioral pathologies throughout the lifespan; general theoretical knowledge of the fundamental etiopathogenetic mechanisms of diseases of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, personality disorders, and specific forms of psychological distress at different stages of the lifespan; general theoretical knowledge and basic experiences related to neurological, psychiatric, neuro and psychomotor diseases, including the behavioral and psychological complications of internal and metabolic diseases and organ pathologies throughout the lifespan, with particular reference to their psychological impact on families and social contexts; general theoretical knowledge and basic experiences related to cultural, social, normative, and organizational factors relevant to professional practice in social and healthcare settings related to the specific specialization.