Study focuses on efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation across a range of neurological conditions

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Nov 11 2020

A new text by Kessler Foundation scientists focuses on the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation across a variety of neurological conditions, with specific emphasis on treatment-related changes in the brain detectable via neuroimaging.

"Cognitive Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging: Examining the Evidence from Brain to Behavior," (DOI:10.1007/978-3-030-48382-1) is authored by John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Training, Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of the Centers for Neuropsychology, Neuroscience, and Traumatic Brain Injury Research, and Erica Weber, PhD, research scientist in the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research.

The authors conduct cognitive rehabilitation research at Kessler Foundation, home to the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center, a research-dedicated facility, and collaborate with researchers in the U.S. and the international community.

Because the nature of cognitive impairment and rehabilitative interventions differ across populations, content is divided by neurological condition, with experts addressing aging, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

The use of neuroimaging in cognitive rehabilitation trials is covered, as well as the need to design trials to establish Class I evidence for new treatments.

Neuroimaging has advanced cognitive rehabilitation by enabling us to examine brain processes and correlate them with alterations in behavior and anatomical structures. Using specialized techniques such as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and electroencephalography, we are documenting how cognitive interventions effect changes in neural activation and connectivity that correlate with improvements in language, memory, attention, and motor function.

Through advancements in neuroimaging analysis, we are learning more about the neuroplasticity of the brain in MS and schizophrenia, which will challenge researchers to apply these approaches to populations where more investigation is needed, such as children with brain injuries and individuals with brain tumors."

John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Training, Kessler Foundation