Written By Shameel Asad
Introduction
Neuropsychology is a dynamic subfield of clinical psychology which has enriched the lives of the geriatric and pediatric sector of society by it's dynamic approach to treatment and assessment tools. First coined and presented by Donald Olding Hebb,an infamous Canadian psychologist had revolutionized behavioral analysis by bridging the psychometric analysis method with the study of human neurology to dive deep into the intricacies of the mind and possibly treat and assess neuropsychiatric ailments such as dementia and neurobiological issues such as Tay Sachs disease.
1.1 The applications of neuropsychology & its advent in the modern world
A subfield of clinical psychology called neuropsychology deals with the thorough examination of emotional regulation and general cognition, which is then strengthened by the addition of neurobiological processes. It involves utilizing imaging tools to help physicians and therapists identify the underlying causes of a certain neurodivergent behavior or neurophysiological disorder that manifests as cognitive impairment and provides an effective treatment plan according to neural image results and diagnostics implemented on the patient. Specific neuropsychological assessments are required to comprehend how the various brain systems and regions function. When there are symptoms or concerns regarding memory or thinking, testing is typically advised. Changes in personality, organization, logic, memory, language, perception, coordination, or concentration may indicate this. Any variety of medical, neurological, psychological, or genetic factors could be to blame for the alteration. Developmental problems including autism, learning and attention issues, concussions and traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, brain cancer, stroke, and dementia are some of the conditions neuropsychologists frequently deal with 1.
1.2 Donald hebb and his contributions to psychology and neuroscience
Donald Olding Hebb is frequently referred to as the "father of neuropsychology" because of his ability to combine the fields of psychology and neuroscience. His 1949 publication The Organisation of Behaviour: A Neuropsychological Theory had a significant role in this accomplishment2. Hebb annexed the domains of psychology and neuroscience by proposing his Theory of “The Organization of Behaviour”, The Organisation of Behaviour was written primarily to provide examples of Hebb's behaviorism theory. This objective is stated by Hebb in the book's introduction:
Another objective is to find a commonality with anatomists, physiologists, and neurologists in order to help them understand how psychological theory relates to their issues and to provide them with additional opportunities to contribute to that theory. Hebb believed that in order to more effectively and objectively describe human conduct, psychology needed to collaborate with neurology and physiology. In this sense, the physical, biological "mind" and the more abstract "mind" that psychology tended to emphasize3.
2.1 Hebb’s theory: a neurobiological perspective
You might have heard the phrase “Neurons that work together, fire together” coined by Hebb himself explaining how any two neurons firing together simultaneously would associate themselves with each other. Through this process, an engram or an internal groove of data is made in the brain encoding information for a specific process or results in creating a long-term memory/skill 4.
2.2 The neuropsychological perspective of a patient
The field of psychology is blighted with a peculiar malaise as most neuropsychologists often neglect an intrinsic component of their practice, “humanism and compassion”. Sadly, this field of study undermines the patient’s perspective of treatment leaving the actual solution to their issues unresolved 5.
2.3 A demonstration of hebb’s cell assembly theory
Figure 2.3
Daiane C.F. Golbert, ... Sidarta Ribeiro, in Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference (Second Edition), 2017
The above-given diagram illustrates a synaptic connection between two neurons to associate a stimulus to a particular activity for the storage of that memory formed as a result of this process6 .
Conclusion
To wrap up this argument, it is widely known that Neuropsychology has been graded as a specialty field across all psychological associations of the world therefore it requires substantial research to form diagnoses and formulate results based on neuroimaging techniques(EEG, MRI, CAT scans etc). Donald Hebb has contributed immensely to the field of Neuroscience by bridging neurological assessment with behavior. While the Hebbian theory of cell assembly and organization of behavior continue to aid in research, more work is to be done in this particular domain to improve the quality of treatment for afflicted individuals.
References
Hebb, D. O. (2018). Elaborations of Hebb’s cell assembly theory. In Neuropsychology after Lashley (pp. 483-496). Routledge.
Klein, R. M. (2011). Donald Olding Hebb. Scholarpedia, 6(4), 3719.
Brown, R. E., Bligh, T. W., & Garden, J. F. (2021). The Hebb synapse before Hebb: theories of synaptic function in learning and memory before, with a discussion of the long-lost synaptic theory of William McDougall. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 15, 732195.
Neuropsychology, the Patient's Experience, and the Political Forces Within Our Field,
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology,
Volume 15, Issue 1,
2000
6. Daiane C.F. Golbert, ... Sidarta Ribeiro, in Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference (Second Edition), 2017
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