The role of psychologists in managing mental health comorbidities in adults with neurological disorders

Neurological disorders are associated with very high rates of depression and anxiety, which significantly increase disease burden, but remain an area of considerable unmet need. Psychological therapies, especially those based on the principles of cognitive and behavioural therapy, appear to be efficacious for improving both mental health (e.g., depression and anxiety) and functional outcomes (e.g., sleep, fatigue) in patients with a variety of neurological disorders. However, access to these therapies is limited. Neuropsychologists rarely have the capacity to deliver ongoing psychological therapy and there appears to be a lack of community psychologist that specialise in this area. This commentary argues that these barriers need to be addressed and psychologists should play a greater role in reducing the burden of neurological disorders. One step towards this is building the confidence and competence of psychologists to effectively work with patients with neurological symptoms, especially common cognitive difficulties (e.g., inattention, poor memory, slower processing speed). Thus, this commentary provides a practical guide for modifying psychological therapies for adults with neurological disorders, including principles of compensatory cognitive rehabilitation. It aims to provide principles to help maximise engagement, learning and retention of psychological concepts and ultimately to encourage more psychologists to work with this under-served group.