Efficacy of ICT-Based Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Programs for Acquired Brain Injury

Abstract

Abstract. This systematic review aims to analyze the methods used in the assessment of the efficacy of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Programs (NRP) based on Information and Communication Technologies in patients with Acquired Brain Injury, namely platforms and online rehabilitation programs. Studies with the main purpose of evaluating the efficacy of those programs were retrieved from multiple literature databases, accordingly to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion and analysis of the studies followed preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) and Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. Thirty-one studies were included in this review. Results showed that most studies used a pre-post methodological design, with few studies performing assessment moments during intervention or follow-up. Attention, memory, and executive functions were the cognitive variables considered by a larger number of studies at the assessment of NRP efficacy. Despite that, there is a growing evidence on the inclusion of variables related to everyday functioning in this process, increasing its ecological validity. Concerning the instruments used, the studies presented a large heterogeneity of the instruments and methods used, even for the same assessment purpose, highlighting a lack of consensus regarding assessment protocol. Psychophysiological and neuroimaging techniques are seldom used on this field. This review identifies the main characteristics of the methodology used at the assessment of NRP and potential limitations, providing useful information to guide the practice of the health care professionals in rehabilitation of Acquired Brain Injury. It also suggests new directions for future studies.

Longitudinal study of postural and locomotor function development in clients with brain damage

“…Using repeated TUG and BBS assessments over a longer time period of 9 months enabled us to observe the effectiveness of coordinated rehabilitation, monitor the development or maintenance of locomotor and balance skills, and repeated assessments can signal any change in the risk of falls. A follow-up assessment provides more relevant information about the duration of the intervention effects (Geraldo et al, 2018). In the process of evaluating the results of the functional tests, we observed a trend in the time and point quantifiers of clients with similar clinical presentations; these trends allowed us to divide clients into three groups according to their FIM instrument scores performed by an occupational therapist.…”

Improving Care for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury Across the Lifespan

“…Fourteen of those reviews demonstrated effectiveness (Bogdanova et al, 2016;Cicerone et al, 2005;Cicerone et al, 2011;Elliott and Parente, 2014;Fritz, Cheek, and Nichols-Larsen, 2015;Hallock et al, 2016;Kennedy et al, 2008;Lambez and Vakil, 2021;Little, Byrne, and Coetzer, 2021;O'Neil-Pirozzi, Kennedy, and Sohlberg, 2016;Park, Maitra, and Martinez, 2015;Radomski et al, 2016;Rodríguez-Rajo et al, 2018;Rohling et al, 2009), and two demonstrated no effect Virk et al, 2015). Additionally, three reviews had mixed findings (Cicerone et al, 2019;Roitsch et al, 2019;Steel, Elbourn, and Togher, 2021), and four characterized the evidence as uncertain (Ali, Viczko, and Smart, 2020;Brassel et al, 2021;Geraldo et al, 2018;Schrijnemaekers et al, 2014). Two systematic reviews assessed the effect of behavioral rehabilitation on cognitive outcomes, demonstrating effectiveness in the general adult population (Little, Byrne, and Coetzer, 2021) and uncertain conclusions in populations restricted to veterans (Wilson et al, 2016).…”