Feasibility of an Online Cognitive Environmental Enrichment Intervention for Patients with Moderate-to-severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Recent research has documented progressive cognitive and neural decline in the chronic stages of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Offsetting this putative neurodegeneration offers a new target for cognitive neurorehabilitation. Cognitive environmental enrichment (C-EE; novel, challenging, and engaging cognitive stimulation) delivered early post-TBI has been shown to buffer against neurodegeneration in humans and animals. Some online "brain games" (which can be accessed by patients regardless of location or mobility restrictions) offer intensive cognitive stimulation that meet the criteria for C-EE. Here, the feasibility of administering a home-based, online "brain game" suite to 11 moderate-to-severe TBI patients who participated in 12 weeks of intensive cognitive training was examined. Modest adherence and attrition, high acceptability of the program, and promising findings on limited-efficacy testing involving neuropsychological outcomes were observed. Online cognitive training is a feasible and potentially efficacious intervention for TBI patients. Means of improving adherence are discussed.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Sharma, Bhanu
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2781044319