NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Background: The subject literature supports that patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have a reduction in information processing speed and that this may contribute to deficits in attention, orientation and executive functioning including a deficit in mental flexibility, planning, self-monitoring, and problem solving. Therefore the aim of the present study was to remediate neuropsychological deficits of patients with TBI through neuro psycho logical rehabilitation. Material/Methods: Based upon a purposive sampling technique 10 patients with TBI falling within the age range of 20-40 years and fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen from the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India. These patients were assessed on the Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery for Adults. Based upon patient convenience, they were divided equally into an experimental and control group. Patients in the experimental group were given neuropsychological rehabilitation for 6 months. Brainwave-R and Talking Pen ware used as a rehabilitative tool. Results: The results reveal that patients with TBI have significant neuropsychological deficits related to verbal, visual & working memory, visuo-spatial organization, arithmetic, spelling, writing, fine motor coordination and executive functioning. Also, neuropsychological rehabilitation was found effective in remediating these deficits but no significant improvement was found in motor writing skills and complex verbal arithmetic. Conclusions: Neuropsychological rehabilitation is effective in the rehabilitating of cognitive deficits in patients with TBI.