@article{ref1,
title="Feasibility of online self-administered cognitive training in moderate-severe brain injury",
journal="Disability and rehabilitation",
year="2016",
author="Sharma, Bhanu and Tomaszczyk, Jennifer C. and Dawson, Deirdre and Turner, Gary R. and Colella, Brenda and Green, Robin E. A.",
volume="39",
number="14",
pages="1380-1390",
abstract="PURPOSE: Cognitive environmental enrichment (C-EE) offers promise for offsetting neural decline that is observed in chronic moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Brain games are a delivery modality for C-EE that can be self-administered over the Internet without therapist oversight. To date, only one study has examined the feasibility of self-administered brain games in TBI, and the study focused predominantly on mild TBI. Therefore, the primary purpose of the current study was to examine the feasibility of self-administered brain games in moderate-severe TBI. A secondary and related purpose was to examine the feasibility of remote monitoring of any C-EE-induced adverse symptoms with a self-administered evaluation tool. <br><br>METHOD: Ten patients with moderate-severe TBI were asked to complete 12 weeks (60 min/day, five days/week) of online brain games with bi-weekly self-evaluation, intended to measure any adverse consequences of cognitive training (e.g., fatigue, eye strain). <br><br>RESULTS: There was modest weekly adherence (42.6% ± 4.4%, averaged across patients and weeks) and 70% patient retention; of the seven retained patients, six completed the self-evaluation questionnaire at least once/week for each week of the study. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Even patients with moderate-severe TBI can complete a demanding, online C-EE intervention and a self-administered symptom evaluation tool with limited therapist oversight, though at daily rate closer to 30 than 60 min per day. Further self-administered C-EE research is underway in our lab, with more extensive environmental support. Implications for Rehabilitation Online brain games (which may serve as a rehabilitation paradigm that can help offset the neurodegeneration observed in chronic TBI) can be feasibly self-administered by moderate-to-severe TBI patients. Brain games are a promising therapy modality, as they can be accessed by all moderate-to-severe TBI patients irrespective of geographic location, clinic and/or therapist availability, or impairments that limit mobility and access to rehabilitation services. Future efficacy trials that examine the effect of brain games for offsetting neurodegeneration in moderate-to-severe TBI patients are warranted.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0963-8288",
doi="10.1080/09638288.2016.1195453",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2016.1195453"
}