Affiliations: [a]
Department of Occupational Therapy, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| [b]
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| [c]
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| [d]
Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| [e]
Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Gerald T. Voelbel, PhD, Department of Occupational Therapy, New York University, Pless Hall, 82 Washington Square East, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10003, USA. Tel.: +1 212 998 5827; Fax: +1 212 995 4044; E-mail: gv23@nyu.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Adults with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) may experience long-term deficits in multiple cognitive domains. Higher-order functions, such as verbal memory, are impacted by deficits in the ability to acquire verbal information. OBJECTIVE:This study investigated the effects of a neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive remediation program for auditory information processing in adults with a chronic TBI. METHODS:Forty-eight adults with TBI were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Both groups underwent a neuropsychological assessment at baseline and post-training. The Intervention group received 40 one-hour cognitive training sessions with the Brain Fitness Program. RESULTS:The intervention group improved in performance on measures of the Woodcock-Johnson-III Understanding Directions subtest and Trail Making Test Part-A. They also reported improvement on the cognitive domain of the Cognitive Self-Report Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS:The present study demonstrated that a neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive remediation program may improve objective and subjective cognitive function in adults with TBI several years post-injury.
