Cortex TBI — Neuropsychological Testing and TBI Evaluation in Aurora

A concussion from a car accident is a traumatic brain injury. Most resolve within days to weeks. Some don't, producing persistent cognitive symptoms that affect memory, attention, processing speed, and daily function. When that's the clinical picture, objective neuropsychological testing provides the diagnostic precision that symptom reports alone cannot.

Cortex TBI in Aurora is CCC's primary neuropsychological testing partner. When your managing physician suspects persistent post-concussive syndrome or traumatic brain injury that requires objective evaluation, Cortex TBI conducts the neuropsychological testing battery that characterizes the cognitive impact and guides the rehabilitation plan.

Provider Contact

Website: cortextbi.com Phone: 720-507-0080

What Cortex TBI Offers

Neuropsychological Testing

Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment uses validated cognitive tests (not questionnaires or symptom checklists, but standardized performance-based measures) to evaluate cognitive function across multiple domains:

• Memory: Verbal memory (word lists, stories), visual memory (designs, faces), and working memory (holding and manipulating information in mind). Memory deficits are among the most common persistent cognitive complaints after TBI.
• Attention and concentration: Sustained attention (maintaining focus over time), selective attention (filtering distractors), and divided attention (managing multiple tasks simultaneously). Attention deficits produce the "brain fog" that many post-concussion patients describe.
• Processing speed: The speed at which the brain processes and responds to information. Processing speed is often the most sensitive measure of mild TBI; slowed processing produces errors and fatigue even when accuracy is eventually intact.
• Executive function: Planning, organization, problem-solving, and cognitive flexibility. Executive deficits affect complex work tasks, multi-step planning, and the ability to adapt when things don't go as expected.
• Language: Word finding, verbal fluency, naming, and comprehension. Post-concussion language difficulties are often subtle. The word is there, but retrieving it takes longer.
• Visuospatial function: Spatial perception, visual construction, and visual-motor coordination. Particularly relevant when vestibular symptoms or vision changes accompany the cognitive presentation.

TBI Evaluation

Beyond cognitive testing, Cortex TBI conducts comprehensive TBI evaluation that establishes the clinical diagnosis: injury mechanism, acute injury characteristics, symptom timeline, current cognitive profile, and functional impact. The evaluation integrates testing results with clinical history and imaging findings to produce a complete picture of the brain injury and its consequences.

This evaluation documents TBI as a clinical diagnosis: not just "the patient reports cognitive symptoms," but a neuropsychologically supported diagnosis with objective test data.

Cognitive Rehabilitation Referral

Neuropsychological testing identifies what needs treatment. Cortex TBI coordinates with cognitive rehabilitation providers, including Flatirons Cognitive Therapy, to connect identified deficits with targeted rehabilitation. The testing results inform the rehabilitation protocol: which cognitive domains to target, what compensatory strategies fit the deficit profile, and what treatment intensity is appropriate.

Return-to-Activity Protocol Guidance

For patients with occupational, athletic, or academic concerns about when they can safely return to cognitively demanding activities, neuropsychological testing provides the objective baseline data for return-to-activity decisions. Testing before and after treatment tracks recovery and informs safe return.

Location

Cortex TBI 13123 E. 16th Ave., Suite 260, Aurora, CO 80045 (University of Colorado Health campus area, accessible from CCC's Aurora clinic)

When CCC Refers to Cortex TBI

Your managing physician evaluates concussion symptoms at every visit. Referral to Cortex TBI for neuropsychological testing occurs when:

• Concussion symptoms persist beyond expected recovery: Most concussions resolve within 7-14 days. When symptoms such as headaches, cognitive fog, memory complaints, fatigue, irritability, and sleep disruption persist beyond 4-6 weeks, objective evaluation is indicated. Persistent post-concussive syndrome (PPCS) requires the same diagnostic precision as a persisting disc herniation.
• Suspected TBI requires objective documentation: When the accident mechanism and symptom constellation suggest traumatic brain injury, neuropsychological testing provides the objective evidence that symptom reports alone cannot.
• Cognitive deficits are affecting daily function or return to work: When memory problems, attention difficulties, or processing speed reductions are affecting work performance, academic function, or daily safety, objective testing characterizes the deficit and guides appropriate accommodation and treatment decisions.
• Documentation is needed for legal or disability purposes: Neuropsychological testing produces objective, defensible clinical evidence of cognitive injury. It is the standard for TBI documentation in insurance and legal contexts.

How Results Return to Your Managing Physician

Cortex TBI's testing results, including a formal neuropsychological report with standardized scores, deficit profile, diagnosis, and recommendations, return to your managing physician. Your physician integrates the neuropsychological findings with the physical examination, imaging, and treatment history to build a complete picture of your injuries.

If cognitive rehabilitation is indicated, your managing physician coordinates that referral. If the neuropsychological findings indicate neurological involvement requiring further evaluation, neurology referral follows.

Frequently Asked Questions