Ms. Carla Khalil
Carla is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with experience in the Middle East (Lebanon), and in Europe (France). Prior to joining The Brain Matters Center, she provided interventions as a neuropsychologist in different services: psychiatry, neurology, and geriatrics, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Given her experience with clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and fundamental neurosciences research, she gave lectures at the Toulouse II University in neuroanatomy and clinical neuropsychology for bachelors and masters degree students. She is currently working on obtaining her PhD with the main focus on autobiographical memory, and sense of identity. Carla provides comprehensive neuropsychological and psychological assessments with the aim of caring for the patient as well as their support system.
The domains she mainly works with are traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases (dementias), cerebrovascular diseases (strokes, aneurysms), and psychiatric disorders. She works closely with families of children with neuro-developmental disorders (such as autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, and ADHD). As a clinical psychologist with a specialty in neuropsychology, she strongly believes in the importance of therapy. In addition to neuropsychological assessments, Carla offers person-centered therapy sessions (one-on-one or in groups), as well as skills training sessions, with an aim of improving quality of life by developing solution-focused strategies.
Integrating technology in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders
Neuropsychological practice currently offers the gold standard in understanding brain-behavior relationships that are not accounted for by structural analyses. Considering that it is founded on using complex behavioral data to inform our understanding of brain functions in the context of psychosocial constructs, there remains scope for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of data gathering, analyses, and evidence-based neuropsychological intervention. Current challenges with accruing ecologically valid and objective data through standardized methods applied by trained specialists has involved a greater investment of time, effort, and money, relative to other associated healthcare activities and for both service providers and seekers. Thus, the concept of leveraging digital and technological tools to enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness is integral to advancement in the field. In this presentation, we discuss the application of digital technologies that can be incorporated into the assessment and treatment of neurologically- and psychologically-based cognitive difficulties. For this, we discuss the scope of tools such as biofeedback (Tinello et al., 2022), virtual reality (VR; Denmark et al., 2019; Spreij et al., 2022; van de Wouw et al., 2023), Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS; Pink et al., 2021; Málly, & Stone, 2007), and Artificial Intelligence (AI; Dashwood et al., 2021; Uddin et al., 2019). We further discuss their limitations, challenges that may impede their application, and methods with which these tools can be integrated to leverage data-driven precision, with specific focus on decision-making strategies and developmental processes that ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability (Bilder & Reise, 2019; Germine et al., 2019). Finally, we consolidate practice standards and research findings (e.g., Fernandez, 2019) to offer suggestions on how neuropsychological practitioners can collaborate with other professionals within the healthcare treatment team and program developers to optimize the integration and adaptation of such technologies to the GCC context, specifically in terms of linguistic, social, educational, and environmental differences from the predominant North American norm.