What do cognitive neuropsychologists primarily aim to do with case reports?

• A. Findings that shed light on the modular architecture of cognitive processes
• B. Map brain-behavior relationships
• C. Describe normal aging
• D. Develop pharmaceutical treatments

Answer: (A)

Case reports in cognitive neuropsychology are used to illuminate how cognitive functions are organized, by looking at detailed patterns of impairment following brain injury. When a person shows a deficit in one cognitive process but sparing of others, it suggests that those processes depend on distinct neural subsystems. Observing multiple cases with different, selective deficits—especially when opposite patterns occur (double dissociations)—provides strong evidence for modularity: separate components of cognition that can be independently affected. This is why the primary aim of these reports is to reveal the modular architecture of cognitive processes. Mapping brain-behavior relationships happens as part of this, but the emphasis is on uncovering how cognitive functions are partitioned into independent modules. Describing normal aging or guiding pharmacological treatments are not the central goals of these case studies.