Imagine a world without neuropsychologists. “Would we notice?”, some might remark. That’s because many clinicians erroneously believe that cognitive tests have little to offer either the neurologist or their patient. Increasingly, however, neuropsychology is moving from the apparently esoteric world of complex, pen-and-paper test batteries into the everyday lives of patients. For example, frontal patients may pass standard tasks of “executive function”, but nevertheless have marked deficits in planning, organisation and multitasking that can be revealed by a multiple errands task that probes their ability to shop effectively!1 In this issue, Punt and colleagues2 (see page 10.1136/jnnp.2007.129205) examine another real-world issue: the problems encountered by stroke patients with unilateral neglect when operating a wheelchair.

These …