Final answer:
Neuropsychologists analyze the effects of brain damage/dysfunction on cognitive and behavioral changes. They use methods like the mental status exam to determine the impact on mental faculties, contributing to the broader field of neuroscience.
Step-by-step explanation:
Neuropsychologists study the relationship between brain damage/dysfunction and cognitive and behavioral changes. Their work involves understanding how various parts of the brain contribute to different aspects of behavior, memory, and cognition. By analyzing the behavioral changes following neurological incidents like strokes, neuropsychologists can infer the functions of specific brain regions. This field has its foundations in several scientific disciplines, including behavioral neurology, ethology, and comparative psychology. The modern exploration of this field is made richer with technologies that allow for noninvasive examination of the living brain, overcoming some limitations of earlier methods such as autopsies.
Through the mental status exam and other assessments, clinicians can determine the impact of neurological damage on mental faculties. Biological psychologists, a group that includes biologists, neuroscientists, and medical professionals, study the broad array of behaviors influenced by the nervous system. Areas of interest include sensory and motor systems, neurodevelopment, brain plasticity, and psychological disorders. This interdisciplinary approach is a key feature of the wider field of neuroscience.