Toward the Psychiatry of Neuropsychology: An Israeli Psychiatrist's Personal Viewpoint

Psychiatrists and neuropsychologists, unfortunately, disregard, disrespect, or misuse each other. This article presents some interface areas, usually frictional, between the two disciplines: the nature of psychiatric work within neuropsychology; war and posttraumatic stress disorder patients; forensic neuropsychology; emergency and crisis situations. It also deals with the hardship of providing psychiatric treatment to neuropsychological patients (patients' fear of psychiatry; complications caused by memory dysfunctions). A common psychiatric drug classification is presented, with emphasis on the need for special care when administering psychiatric drugs (phenothiazines) to neuropsychological patients and a summary of general principles for the administration of psychiatric drugs to such patients. Finally, the interrelationship between psychiatry and neuropsychology is presented as a professional historical mistake, and suggestions for improving future relations are offered. The information and concepts presented are based on personal experience in a decade of psychiatric work with neuropsychological patients.