Prof. em. Bernd Leplow, PhD
certified clinical neuropsychologist (GNP) and licensed psychological psychotherapist (Behaviour Therapy)
„Psychological Adaptation to Parkinson‘s Disease and Dementia – What can be done“?
Professor emeritus Dr. Bernd Leplow is a certified clinical neuropsychologist (GNP) and licensed psychological psychotherapist (behavior therapy). For more than 20 years he was full Professor of Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology and Biological Psychology at the Department of Psychology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. He deals with all mental disorders and neuropsychological syndromes. He was head of out-patient units for psychotherapy, memory disorders, and psychological affairs of brain tumor patients. During the last years he was head of the Department of Psychology and member of the directorial board of the interdisciplinary research centre of “Medicine-Ethics-Law” (MER) at the school of Law at Martin Luther University.
Prof. Leplow’s expertise is about psychological aspects of movement disorders (Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, and Tic Disorders) and various dementia syndromes as well. In addition to Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, these include DLB (Lewy Body Dementia), CBS/D (Corticobasal Degeneration / Syndrome), and other Parkinson’s spectrum disorders such as MSA (Multi-System Atrophy) and the variants of PSP (Progessive Supranuclear Palsy).
Mental alterations and mental disorders are usually part of movement disorders and the dementias, e.g.:
- Depression and Anxiety
- Social stigma, shame, avoidance behavior, and loneliness
- Cognitive deterioration and dementia
- Fear of disease’s progression and possible final stages
- Caregiver’s burden and other family topics
- possible side effects of dopaminergic medications “behavioral addictions” such as sex, gambling, shopping, and eating addictions)
- Decision-making conflicts regarding certain treatments (e.g. DBS, botulinum toxin) and their psychological support
- Functional neurological disorders, FND (formerly “psychogenic” disorders)
Please clarify purely medical questions with the medical colleagues (physicians) on this platform. In addition to the topics mentioned above, Prof. Leplow can be contacted for advise for psychological dementia diagnostics (neuropsychological assessment of the dementias).
His counselling languages are German and English.
more about Professor em. Dr. Bernd Leplow
Dr Bernd Leplow trained as a psychologist at the University of Hamburg. He is a certified clinical neuropsychologist and licensed psychological psychotherapist in the guideline method of behavioural therapy. After working for several years as a psychophysiologist specialising in lung and bronchial diseases in the Department of Medical Psychology at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), he became a research assistant for behavioural medicine and clinical neuropsychology at the Institute of Psychology at the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany. After his habilitation in 1994, he became head of the subject “Research-oriented specialisation” in the field of behavioural neuroscience at the Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, in 1995. In 1999, he was appointed professor at the Institute of Psychology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany, specialising in clinical psychology, neuropsychology and biological psychology. From 2012 until his retirement in 2018, he was Managing Director of the Inst. f. Psychology. Since then he has worked as professor emeritus, academic lecturer and author. His work continues to focus on the neuropsychology of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and tic disorders as well as the neuropsychology of neurodegeneration and the specific needs of dementia patients and their relatives. His basic research continues to focus on “remote memory”, “spatial orientation and memory” and “oral health”. Dr Leplow has published numerous articles, books and abstracts on the foundations of mental disorders, behavioural neuroscience and various psychological aspects of movement disorders including botulinum therapy and neurodegeneration. He is/was editor and reviewer of many international scientific journals. He was also President of the German Society for Behavioural Medicine and Behavioural Modification (DGVM), Vice President of the German Society for Psychology (DGPs), and Chair of Strategic Planning of the International Society of Behavioural Medicine (ISBM).
Dr Leplow is the founder and co-partner of the Christoph Dornier Institute for Psychological Psychotherapy Training in Halle (Saale), was/is a member of the advisory boards of the German Dystonia Society (DDG), the German Torticollis Association and the German Parkinson’s Association (dPV). He is on the advisory board of “selfapy”, a company for digital health applications. He has also been a consultant for Merz Pharmaceuticals, Allergan, and Medtronic. During his career, which has spanned from 1981 to the present day, he has participated in countless national and international meetings, congresses and symposia, and has given numerous lectures, talks and workshops for various organisations. He was also a member of the guideline commissions for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. From 2013 to 2023, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre “Medicine-Ethics-Law” (MER) at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. He continues to give lectures and other courses for the MER degree programme.
He is married to Dipl.-Psych. Kerstin Paetow, a practising behavioural therapist and clinical neuropsychologist. They have a son together. Dr Leplow’s hobbies are European history and literature, the fine arts, dinghy sailing and cross-country skiing.
Prof Dr Bernd Leplow,
Professor of Psychology
Professor emeritus
Department of Psychology
Martin Luther University Halle (Saale)
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