Neuropsychological assessment of feigned cognitive symptoms in brain-damaged patients

Abstract

Neuropsychological assessment relies on objective procedures to evaluate cognitive deficits in brain-damaged patients. These procedures are relevant in forensic setting for assessment of feigned cognitive disorders. Here we aimed to assess the neuropsychological profile of brain-damaged patients “with a high feigning tendency” and of brain-damaged patients “with a low feigning tendency” by means of a standard neuropsychological battery also including a task specifically devised to detect simulation (i.e., the Test of Memory Malingering, TOMM). Results showed that the group “with a high feigning tendency” was significantly impaired with respect to the other group (and a group of healthy controls) on specific long-term memory tasks and on TOMM. Implications of the present findings are discussed with respect to the best practice for assessing cognitive deficits in forensic setting.