Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary | [b] Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Health Center of the Hungarian Defense Forces, Budapest, Hungary | [c] Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary | [d] MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: László Vécsei, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, H-6725 Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Hungary.
Tel.: +36 62 545351; E-mail: vecsei.laszlo@med.u-szeged.hu
Abstract: Background:Lightning-related injuries most often involve impairment of the functions of the central and peripheral nervous systems, usually including cognitive dysfunctions. We evaluated the cognitive deficit of a patient who had survived a lightning strike and measured the improvement after her cognitive training. This therapeutic method appears to be a powerful tool in the neurorehabilitation treatment. Objective:The aim of this case study was to prove the beneficial effects of cognitive training as part of the neurorehabilitation after a lightning strike. Methods:Six neuropsychological functions were examined in order to test the cognitive status of the patient before and after the 2-month cognitive training: phonological short-term memory (digit span test and word repetitions test), visuo-spatial short-term memory (Corsi Block Tapping Test), working memory (backward digit span test and listening span test), executive functions (letter and semantic fluencies), language functions (non-word repetition test, Pléh-Palotás-Lörik (PPL) test and sentence repetition test) and episodic memory (Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test and Mini Mental State Examination). We also utilized these tests in aged-matched healthy individuals so as to be able to characterize the domains of the observed improvements more precisely. Results:The patient exhibited a considerable improvement in the backward digit span, semantic fluency, non-word repetition, PPL, sentence repetition and Rivermead Behavioral Memory tests. Conclusions:The cognitive training played an important role in the neurorehabilitation treatment of this lightning injury patient. It considerably improved her quality of life through the functional recovery.
Keywords: Lightning injury, neurorehabilitation, neuropsychological tests, cognitive training
