William B. Barr, PhD

When I was a child, I was interested in biology. I considered a career in medicine, but I chose to pursue psychology instead. I decided to specialize in neuropsychology, which focuses on the relationship between a person’s brain and their behavior.

At NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, I conduct neuropsychological testing to evaluate cognitive, language, and memory problems in people who have epilepsy. This can help pinpoint the cause of the problem and the most appropriate treatment. I also perform testing when people have memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease or when they have had a mild head injury or concussion.

When a person who has epilepsy is a candidate for surgery, they may need testing before the procedure. In many cases, neurologists who specialize in epilepsy recommend a Wada test, which my colleagues and I perform to evaluate language and memory functioning in the brain. This test can help to predict whether a person may experience memory problems after surgery. We may also perform brain mapping, which is used to determine which parts of the brain control language and other functions and which areas the surgeon should therefore avoid when operating.

I use evidence-based assessment techniques to evaluate adults and children. When conducting an evaluation, I consider a patient’s personal, psychological, and cultural background.

It is rewarding to use neuropsychological testing to have an impact on people’s lives. Sometimes, when patients think they have memory problems, test results show they have a mood or anxiety disorder. I can then refer the person to a psychologist or psychiatrist. If they are experiencing memory loss, I can refer them to Rusk Rehabilitation.

I conduct research to improve the sensitivity of neuropsychological assessments and streamline them. In addition, I study sports-related concussion.

I have served as the president of the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, and I am a founding member of the New York State Association of Neuropsychology.