Fostering advances to neuropsychological assessment based on the Research Domain Criteria: The bridge between cognitive functioning and physiology.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The current review aimed to explore the advances in neuropsychological assessment in light of a recent research framework designed to improve our knowledge on mental health - the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). METHODS: RDoC proposals on neuropsychological tests were reviewed across the RDoC cognitive systems domain. The focus is on the physiological unit of analysis and the potential applications are illustrated given the functional relevance of RDoC constructs to psychopathological and neurological conditions. RESULTS: The advances in neuropsychology anchored in RDoC are not observable in terms of innovative paradigms, but rather in the neurobiological correlates that may be obtained from the classical neuropsychological tasks. The behavior unit of analysis may be integrated with physiological outcomes while mapping distinct cognitive constructs simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS: Under the aegis of RDoC, the integration of multiple levels of analysis allows to obtain a more detailed and complete neuropsychological characterization with high potential to be translated into better intervention strategies.