Citation

Trojano L, Moretta P, Estraneo A. J. Rehabil. Med. 2009; 41(5): 393-396.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Via Vivaldi 43, IT-81100 Caserta, Italy. luigi.trojano@unina2.it

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Foundation for Rehabilitation Information)

DOI

10.2340/16501977-0344

PMID

19363575

Abstract

We describe here a case of cognitive rehabilitation in a young patient with closed head injury, who had dense anterograde amnesia and such disabling neurological defects (tetraplegia and anarthria) that the condition evoked some features of an incomplete locked-in syndrome. After a prolonged period of no communicative possibility, the patient underwent a specific training, based on principles of errorless learning, with the aim of using a computerized eye-tracker system. Although, due to memory disturbances, the patient always denied ever having used the eye-tracker system, learned to use the computerized device and improved interaction with the environment. This favourable outcome may serve as a stimulus for devising new training approaches in patients with complex patterns of cognitive impairments, even when associated with severe motor impairments.

Language: en