REVIEWS  ATTENTION REHABILITATION Free access

Europa Medicophysica 2006 March;42(1):59-67

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Attention rehabilitation following stroke and traumatic brain injury. A review

Michel J. A., Mateer C. A.

Department of Psychology University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada

Attentional capacities, which are frequently impaired following brain injury, have also been found to be amenable to rehabilitation. This review discusses various approaches to attention rehabilitation in adult clients following stroke and traumatic brain injury. Attention process training has been accepted by many as a practice standard in postacute clients, however, its ability to generalize to new situations and to functional capacities is unclear. There is evidence for the use of psychostimulant medication, which may be most helpful when prescribed in combination with attention training. Biofeedback is a new avenue for intervention and is beginning to show some promising results. Rather than train underlying processes, another approach which shows promising results in a few small studies is training clients on specific functional skills, such as driving or vocational duties. Finally, modifications to the environment, implementation of strategies, provision of emotional support, and introduction of external supports/aids are important parts of a rehabilitation program, especially as the client returns to their home environment.