Division of Neuropsychology

Established in 1985 by Dr. Frederick A. Schmitt, the department of neurology's division of neuropsychology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine boasts a rich history that spans four decades. Comprising a team of nationally and internationally renowned faculty members, the division faculty hold additional appointments in various departments and centers at the University of Kentucky, including neurosurgery, physical medicine & rehabilitation, behavioral sciences, psychiatry, the Spinal Cord & Brain Injury Research Center, and the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. The Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, a global leader in aging research with the contributions of the division's faculty, is one of the original National Institute on Aging funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and served as the historic home of “The Nun Study” for two decades. Currently, it is a host site for several national and international studies, including the Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium for Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) study, the Biomarkers for Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment & Dementia (MarkVCID) study, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI-4) among many others, all considered seminal studies of neurodegenerative conditions. Additional project titles involving the division's faculty include “SAIVAR-Tech: Stress Augmentation with Immersive Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Technologies,” “FINDERS: Functional Imaging for Neurodiagnostics for Epilepsy and Resective Surgery,” “INDICATE: Investigating Neuromarkers of Decline and Improvement of Cognition After Thrombectomy for ELVO,” and “GUIDE: Feasibility and Safety of Autologous Unconditioned Peripheral Nerve Tissue Delivery to the Substantia Nigra.”

Spearheaded by division faculty, The International Society of Neurogastronomy and the Saddle Up Safely Equestrian Sports International Guidelines originated at the University of Kentucky. The division's faculty members have been sponsored by diverse sources, including the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, Department of Education, foundation grants, research endowments, clinical trials, industry partners, and national think tanks. In clinical practice, the division's consultations serve 24 hospital surgical, inpatient, and ambulatory service lines and 62 regional hospitals and clinical practices.

UK HealthCare has earned the top spot on the Best Regional Hospitals list for Kentucky and the Bluegrass Region according to U.S. News & World Report for the past 8 consecutive years, further reinforcing its status as a health care leader. The Stroke Center at the University of Kentucky has been designated as a comprehensive stroke center by The Joint Commission, and, has garnered accolades such as the American Heart Association Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and the Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Award. Additionally, UK HealthCare houses a National Association of Epilepsy Centers Level IV Epilepsy Center, capable of caring for the most complex patients with epilepsy. The University of Kentucky is also recognized as a Center for Comprehensive Care by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, underscoring the excellence of its facilities and the expertise of the division of neuropsychology, which plays an essential role in these multifaceted academic and clinical endeavors.