Professor Laura Goldstein

Biography

Laura Goldstein is now Professor Emerita of Clinical Neuropsychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and Honorary Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Maudsley Hospital, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (Neuropsychiatry Department). She originally joined the Psychology Department in 1987 at the (then) Institute of Psychiatry, also undertaking clinical work at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. She retired in September 2024.

Laura is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and has undertaken internationally recognised research into the neuropsychological and broader psychological consequences of neurological disorders (especially motor neuron disease and epilepsy) and their comorbidities as well as functional neurological disorder.

Recently, Laura was involved in evaluating psychoeducational and psychological interventions for people with epilepsy and she ran a large NIHR HTA-funded multicentre randomised controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with dissociative (non-epileptic) seizures (the CODES Trial). She has also been involved in NIHR HTA-funded trials studying the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with motor neuron disease (the COMMEND trial) and the use of specialist physiotherapy for adults with functional movement disorder (Physio4FMD) as well as supervising neuropsychological studies in motor neuron disease.

Previously, alongside her clinical and research activities, Laura played a major role in the post-qualification training of UK clinical neuropsychologists through leading PG Diploma courses at the Institute of Psychiatry over a 16-year period. Together with Jane McNeil, Laura co-edited two editions of “Clinical Neuropsychology. A Practical Guide to Assessment and Management for Clinicians” (2nd edition 2013; Wiley) as well The Clinical Psychologist's Handbook of Epilepsy: Assessment and Management, Routledge Press (published in 1997) which she co-edited with Christine Cull.

Research interests

• Neuropsychology – especially motor neuron disease and other neurological disorders
• Psychological aspects of neurological disorders and their comorbidities
• Psychological and other interventions for motor neuron disease, epilepsy, dissociative seizures and functional movement disorder.

Teaching

Laura teaches neuropsychology on the DClinPsy programme as well as on the MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry. Laura also provides teaching on neuropsychology for the Maudsley trainees.

Expertise and public engagement

Laura is a Founding Member of the Functional Neurological Disorder Society and is involved in international projects to develop treatment guidelines for people with functional neurological disorder. She was awarded the 2021 Barbara Wilson Lifetime Achievement Award by the British Psychological Society’s Division of Neuropsychology.