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Brain Sciences
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Reviews in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions
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Reviews in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions

A Special Issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425) belonging to the section "Neuropsychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2026 | Viewed by 4464

Editors

Dr. Sara Palermo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
2. Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Isttuto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
3. Neuroscience Institute of Turin, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
Interests: clinical neuropsychology; aging neuroscience; psychogeriatrics; cognitive; affective and social neuroscience; active and healty aging; physical and cognitive frailty; neurodegenerative disorders; movement disorders; placebo and nocebo; pain; neuropsychological testing; brain imaging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Pierluigi Zoccolotti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
2. Tuscany Rehabilitation Clinic, 52025 Montevarchi, Italy
3. Gianfranco Salvini Foundation, 52025 Montevarchi, Italy
Interests: cognitive neuroscience; cognitive neuropsychology; visual attention; cognition disorders; neuropsychology; language; cognitive development; learning; executive function; neuropsychological assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Laura Piccardi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
2. San Raffaele Cassino Hospital, Cassino, FR, Italy
Interests: neurorehabilitation; cognitive neuropsychology; cognitive development; cognitive neuroscience; neuroimaging; memory; neuroscience; executive function; learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of neuropsychology is undergoing rapid change, driven by advances in cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and clinical research. This Special Issue, entitled "Review in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions", aims to present current research findings that improve our understanding of neurocognitive processes and disorders. The issue provides a comprehensive overview of current trends and future developments in neuropsychology and bridges the gap between theoretical advances and practical applications in clinical settings. We invite reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and perspectives that contribute to theoretical and practical advances in the field. This Special Issue welcomes submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Neuropsychological aspects of neurological diseases: exploring the cognitive and behavioural manifestations of neurological disorders such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Metacognitive and executive functions: examining the neural substrates of metacognition, executive control, and decision making and their implications for everyday functioning and clinical interventions.
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders: the assessment and treatment of a group of conditions that affect the development of brain functions ranging from mild to severe impairments. This group of disorders also includes specific learning disabilities, such as developmental prosopagnosia, developmental topographical disorientation, aphantasia, and amusia.
  • Ageing and cognition: investigating the effects of ageing on cognitive performance, identifying factors that contribute to cognitive decline, and developing strategies to promote healthy cognitive ageing.
  • Neuroimaging in clinical diagnostics: using neuroimaging techniques (e.g., MRI, fMRI, EEG, PET) to improve the accuracy and efficiency of neuropsychological assessments, identify biomarkers for neurocognitive disorders, and track treatment outcomes.
  • Innovative therapeutic approaches: exploring novel interventions for neurocognitive impairment, including cognitive training, neuromodulation, pharmacological treatments, and lifestyle modifications. This also includes the integration of AR/VR technologies for rehabilitation.
  • Predictive modelling: using machine learning techniques to predict treatment outcomes and identify patients at risk of cognitive decline.
  • Intercultural neuropsychology: investigating the influence of cultural factors on cognitive performance and neuropsychological assessment and developing culturally sensitive assessment tools and interventions.

Dr. Sara Palermo
Prof. Dr. Pierluigi Zoccolotti
Prof. Dr. Laura Piccardi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aphasia
  • attentional disorders
  • hemineglect
  • amnesia
  • apraxia
  • neurodevelopmental disorders
  • neuropsychological approach
  • neuroscience

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

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18 pages, 281 KB  
Review
The Relations Between Recognition Disorders of Familiar People and Other Unique Entities in Patients with Semantic and Behavioral Variants of Right Frontotemporal Degeneration: A Review of Single-Case Studies
by Guido Gainotti
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(7), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16070705 - 30 Jun 2026
Viewed by 293
Abstract
Introduction: An association between recognition disorders of familiar people and other unique entities (UEs), such as famous buildings, is often reported in patients showing a right variant of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). However, the clinical context and the modality-specific or semantic nature of these [...] Read more.
Introduction: An association between recognition disorders of familiar people and other unique entities (UEs), such as famous buildings, is often reported in patients showing a right variant of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). However, the clinical context and the modality-specific or semantic nature of these disorders have not been clarified by group studies of these patients. Aims of the study: Since a recent consensus statement from the International Working Group on FTD has called for the clarification of these issues, I undertook a review of single-case reports that explored this issue. This review allowed me to identify 11 papers reporting patients affected by a ‘semantic’ or a ‘behavioral’ variant of right FTD. Results: A detailed analysis of these patients suggested the following: (a) the incidence of this association is similar in the ‘semantic’ and ‘behavioral’ variants of right FTD; (b) this association is not systematically observed in patients with a ‘prosopagnosic’ form of the ‘semantic variant, whereas it is more frequent in the ‘properly semantic’ and in the ‘behavioral’ variants; and (c) in these two last groups of patients, the association between poor recognition of familiar people and of other unique entities is usually observed both in the verbal and in the pictorial modalities. Discussion: These results seem to indicate that recognition defects concerning both familiar people and other UEs are due to modality-specific and semantic disorders mainly affecting the right hemisphere’s pictorial knowledge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reviews in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions)
24 pages, 1339 KB  
Review
Towards an Integrative Framework of Self-Regulation: A Scoping Review on the Interplay Between Emotion Regulation, Executive Functions and Decision-Making in Clinical Populations
by Francesca Colombi, Giulia Fusi, Maura Crepaldi and Maria Luisa Rusconi
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(7), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16070702 - 30 Jun 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 507
Abstract
Background/Objective: Emotion regulation (ER) is closely linked to decision-making (DM). Although executive functions (EF) are often suggested as a key mechanism underlying this relationship, evidence from different clinical conditions remains fragmented. This scoping review aims to map the literature on the relationship between [...] Read more.
Background/Objective: Emotion regulation (ER) is closely linked to decision-making (DM). Although executive functions (EF) are often suggested as a key mechanism underlying this relationship, evidence from different clinical conditions remains fragmented. This scoping review aims to map the literature on the relationship between ER and DM in clinical populations, with a specific focus on the interaction between EF and ER in shaping adaptive DM processes, particularly in populations characterised by cognitive impairment and emotional dysregulation. Methods: A search of electronic databases was conducted to identify empirical studies examining ER, EF and DM in clinical populations. Sixteen studies involving patients with dementia, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, substance and behavioural addictions were included. Results: Difficulties in ER were associated with altered DM. EF, particularly inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, were found to be key processes linking emotional states to decision outcomes. Clinical groups consistently showed a tendency to prefer immediate rewards despite potential long-term negative consequences and experienced difficulties integrating emotional and cognitive information. Conclusions: This scoping review emphasises the importance of moving beyond reductionist explanations of DM and to adopt an integrative approach. ER and EF should be conceptualised as interacting components of a broader self-regulatory system shaping decision behaviour. Developing this framework will be crucial to enable targeted clinical and neurorehabilitation interventions for individuals experiencing impaired DM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reviews in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions)
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21 pages, 814 KB  
Systematic Review
Qualitative Analysis of Constructional Errors in Neurodegenerative Conditions: A Systematic Review
by Vincenzo Crisci, Laura Sagliano, Antonella Ferrara, Alessia Salzillo, Luigi Trojano and Francesco Panico
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(7), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16070667 - 25 Jun 2026
Viewed by 382
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Constructional apraxia (CA) is an impairment in combining simple elements into coherent spatial configurations without basic motor deficits. Although common in neurodegenerative disorders, the qualitative features of visuo-constructional errors and their role in differentiating dementia types remain unclear. This systematic review [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Constructional apraxia (CA) is an impairment in combining simple elements into coherent spatial configurations without basic motor deficits. Although common in neurodegenerative disorders, the qualitative features of visuo-constructional errors and their role in differentiating dementia types remain unclear. This systematic review aimed to synthesize patterns of visuo-constructional errors in dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), exploring distinctive qualitative features associated with different neurodegenerative conditions. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between January 1990 and January 2026, following PRISMA guidelines. Studies on adults with dementia or MCI assessing drawing/copying abilities through standardized tasks and qualitative error analysis were included. Reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, non-English articles, and studies not explicitly assessing constructional apraxia were excluded. The quality of evidence was assessed using an adapted version of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: A total of 25 studies were included, showing heterogeneous and condition-specific visuo-constructional deficits. Spatial errors and simplifications were the most common across disorders, while perseverations, rotations, and closing-in phenomena were less frequent. Alzheimer’s disease was mainly associated with spatial disorganization, omissions, and conceptual errors linked to temporo-parietal dysfunction; frontotemporal dementia with executive deficits such as perseverations and planning impairments; Lewy body and Parkinson’s disease dementias with visuospatial and attentional alterations; and Huntington’s disease with simplifications and executive dysfunction related to fronto-striatal involvement. Conclusions: No single error pattern was pathognomonic, but qualitative assessment of constructional errors may provide clinically useful information when integrated with the broader neuropsychological profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reviews in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions)
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19 pages, 1208 KB  
Perspective
A Prefrontal Neuromodulation Route for Post-Traumatic Olfactory Dysfunction: A Perspective Supported by Recovery During Left-DLPFC rTMS
by Chiara Di Fazio and Sara Palermo
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16010099 - 17 Jan 2026
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1462
Abstract
Post-traumatic olfactory dysfunction (PTOD) is a common and often persistent sequela of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with limited evidence-based treatment options. We propose that high-frequency rTMS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) may support olfactory recovery via top-down modulation of [...] Read more.
Post-traumatic olfactory dysfunction (PTOD) is a common and often persistent sequela of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with limited evidence-based treatment options. We propose that high-frequency rTMS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) may support olfactory recovery via top-down modulation of distributed olfactory, attentional, and reward networks, and we outline key mechanistic and methodological considerations for future studies. We summarize the case of a 70-year-old woman with severe post-traumatic hyposmia persisting for ~5 months, who underwent a 12-week, 10 Hz rTMS course over left DLPFC (36 sessions; 800 pulses/session). Using a structured door diary and repeated ratings across odour categories, she reported stepwise improvement starting around sessions 10–12 (re-emergence of pungent odours) and progressing to broad restoration, including subtle fragrances, by treatment end; no adverse events occurred. While causality cannot be inferred from a single case, this pattern is consistent with a network-level neuromodulatory effect and motivates controlled trials combining standardized olfactory testing with neurophysiology and neuroimaging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reviews in Neuropsychology: Advances and Future Directions)
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