likely to specialize in the fields of forensic neuro-
psychology (e.g., assessing for brain injury in
civil or criminal cases), sports neuropsychology
(e.g., evaluating the effects of sports-related concus-
sions), and military neuropsychology (e.g., assessing
for traumatic brain injury), to name a few of the
emerging areas of application (Zillmer et al., 2010).
Trends such as these suggest that the demand for the
services of neuropsychologists will continue to be in
high in the future.What are the future trends you see for clinical
psychology?
Our understanding of the brain is still young, but it is
expanding rapidly. As we develop more precise tools
for examining brain–behavior relationships and as new
treatments are developed, neuropsychology will play
an even greater role in the diagnosis and treatment of
neurological, developmental, and psychiatric
conditions.
The tools that we have to study functional neu-
roanatomy and brain disorders are becoming more
sophisticated over time. Neuropsychologists have been
working closely with other neuroscientists to develop
cognitive-behavioral tests and structural and functional
neuroimaging techniques that target specific cognitive
skills and behaviors. These methods are increasingly
being used to help diagnose various brain conditions
and to assess response to treatment. I anticipate that in
the near future, they will play even greater roles in
diagnosis and treatment for a variety of neurologic,
developmental, and psychiatric conditions.
More and more neuropsychologists are starting to
provide direct treatment of cognitive dysfunction, and
they are extending their treatments into classrooms
and homes. Unfortunately, there are few well-
controlled studies that demonstrate the efficacy of
available treatment options. It will be important for
our field to continue to conduct well-designed studies
to increase the pool of effective research-based treat-
ment options. I anticipate that clinical researchers and
educators will develop more effective behavioral
interventions for cognitive deficits and executive dys-
function in particular.
What do you enjoy most about a career in
neuropsychology?
I enjoy the field of neuropsychology because it is
evolving so quickly. I started graduate school at the
start of the Decade of the Brain in 1990, and I have
been amazed by the huge scientific leaps that our
field has made since then. I have enjoyed watching
our field evolve from one that used to make distinc-
tions between neurologic or so-called organicconditions and those that are considered“psycho-
logical”to one that recognizes common underlying
neurological mechanismsbetween different condi-
tions, whether they are acquired or developmental.
Nonetheless, there is still much more to learn about
the brain and I am excited to be part of the genera-
tion that will be unlocking so many of the brain’s
mysteries.
Another reason I enjoy my career in neuropsy-
chology is that I greatly enjoy working with children,
not only because they are fun but because there is such
a huge range of skills, behaviors, and personalities in
the children I see every day. I am continually learning
new things about brain development just by interact-
ing with children and watching how they interact with
the world and test materials. I often feel like I am back
at the Boston VA as an investigator, analyzing cogni-
tive functions and deficits, trying to understand how
it all fits with functional neuroanatomy and brain
development. It really never gets old for me. I am still
in awe.Paula ZuffantePaula ZuffanteNEUROPSYCHOLOGY 535