BrainBlog

A randomized controlled trial of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for persons with multiple sclerosis Clin Rehabil . 2012 Feb 2; Stuifbergen AK, Becker H, Perez F, Morison J, Kullberg V, Todd A Abstract Objective: To explore the feasibility and effects of a computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation intervention - Memory, Attention, and Problem Solving Skills for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MAPSS-MS) - for persons with multiple sclerosis on cognitive performance, memory strategy use, self-efficacy for control of symptoms and neuropsychological competence in activities of daily living (ADL).Design: A randomized controlled single-blinded trial with treatment and wait list control groups.Setting: Southwestern United States.Subjects: Convenience sample of 61 persons (34 treatment, 27 wait list control) with multiple sclerosis (mean age 47.9 years, SD 8.8).Intervention: The eight-week MAPSS-MS intervention program included two components: (a) eight weekly group sessions focused ...

Errorless learning in cognitive rehabilitation: A critical review Neuropsychological Rehabilatation. 2012 Jan 16; Middleton EL, Schwartz MF Abstract Cognitive rehabilitation research is increasingly exploring errorless learning interventions, which prioritise the avoidance of errors during treatment. The errorless learning approach was originally developed for patients with severe anterograde amnesia, who were deemed to be at particular risk for error learning. Errorless learning has since been investigated in other memory-impaired populations (e.g., Alzheimer's disease) and acquired aphasia. In typical errorless training, target information is presented to the participant for study or immediate reproduction, a method that prevents participants from attempting to retrieve target information from long-term memory (i.e., retrieval practice). However, assuring error elimination by preventing difficult (and error-permitting) retrieval practice is a potential major drawback of the error...

Neuropsychological rehabilitation for multiple sclerosis Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;11:CD009131 Rosti-Otajärvi EM, Hämäläinen PI Abstract BACKGROUND: Cognitive deficits are a common manifestation in multiple sclerosis (MS) and have a wide effect on the patient's quality of life. Alleviation of the harmful effects caused by these deficits should be a major goal of MS research and practice. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of neuropsychological/cognitive rehabilitation in MS by conducting a systematic review. SEARCH STRATEGY: A systematic literature search was carried out on reports drawn from Cochrane MS Group Specialised Register (To October 2010), Evidence-based medicine (EBM) reviews (To September 2010), MEDLINE (January 1950 to September 2010), EMBASE (1974 to September 2010), PsycINFO (January 1806 to September 2010), WEB OF SCIENCE (WOS) (January 1986 to September 2010), CINAHL (1982 to September 2010), and identified from the references in...

The current (October 2011) issue of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry has free-download access to two review articles dealing with Alzheimer's disease. One deals with drug treatment, whilst the other addresses non-pharmacolgic treatments. An editiorial by Serge Gauthier (also a free download) introduces the issue. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

Space Fortress game training and executive control in older adults: A pilot intervention Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn . 2011 Oct 12; Stern Y, Blumen HM, Rich LW, Richards A, Herzberg G, Gopher D Abstract ABSTRACT We investigated the feasibility of using the Space Fortress (SF) game, a complex video game originally developed to study complex skill acquisition in young adults, to improve executive control processes in cognitively healthy older adults. The study protocol consisted of 36 one-hour game play sessions over 3 months with cognitive evaluations before and after, and a follow-up evaluation at 6 months. Sixty participants were randomized to one of three conditions: Emphasis Change (EC) - elders were instructed to concentrate on playing the entire game but place particular emphasis on a specific aspect of game play in each particular game; Active Control (AC) - game play with standard instructions; Passive Control (PC) - evaluation sessions without game play. Pri...

Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury: Evaluating the Evidence Institute of Medicine Released: 11 October 2011 For more information, click here

Effects of a 6-Month Cognitive Intervention on Brain Metabolism in Patients with Amnestic MCI and Mild Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimers Disease . 2011 Jan 1;26(0):337-48 Authors: Förster S, Buschert VC, Teipel SJ, Friese U, Buchholz HG, Drzezga A, Hampel H, Bartenstein P, Buerger K Abstract The effect of cognitive intervention on brain metabolism in AD is largely unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to investigate cognitive parameters and 18FDG PET to test for effects of a cognitive intervention in patients with aMCI or mild AD. Patients with aMCI (N = 24) or mild AD (N = 15) were randomly assigned either to cognitive intervention groups (IGs), receiving weekly sessions of group-based multicomponent cognitive intervention, or active control groups (CGs), receiving pencil-paper exercises for self-study. We obtained resting-state FDG-PET scans and neuropsychological testing at baseline and after six-months. Normalized FDG-PET images were analyzed using voxel-based SPM5 approache...

Intensity of Aphasia Therapy: Evidence and Efficacy. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep . 2011 Sep 30; Cherney LR, Patterson JP, Raymer AM Abstract Determining the optimal amount and intensity of treatment is essential to the design and implementation of any treatment program for aphasia. A growing body of evidence, both behavioral and biological, suggests that intensive therapy positively impacts outcomes. We update a systematic review of treatment studies that directly compares conditions of higher and lower intensity treatment for aphasia. We identify five studies published since 2006, review them for methodologic quality, and synthesize their findings with previous ones. For both acute and chronic aphasia, results at the language impairment and communication activity/participation levels tend to be more equivocal than previously demonstrated, with no clear differences between intensive and nonintensive treatment emerging across studies. Future research directions are discussed including rese...

A press release from the NIH: Prescribed stimulant use for ADHD continues to rise steadily NIH and AHRQ study finds pace of the rise has slowed in recent years "The prescribed use of stimulant medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rose slowly but steadily from 1996 to 2008, according to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The study was published online ahead of print Sept. 28, 2011, in the American Journal of Psychiatry . "ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders, and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). The condition is frequently treated with stimulants such as methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin), amphetamines (e.g., Adderall) or other types of medications. Behavioral therapies can also be effective. "During...