Cognitive and emotional disorders in neurosurgical patients and their impact on postoperative rehabilitation

Abstract

To evaluate the severity of emotional and cognitive disorders, as well as the effectiveness of cognitive-motor training in patients who have undergone spinal cord surgery. Sixty patients (30 men and 30 women), who were scheduled and subsequently underwent spinal cord surgery, were studied. The patients underwent clinical, somatic and neurological status examinations and quantitative neuropsychological testing. The study was conducted before surgery, a week later, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. The patients were randomly assigned to the main and control groups of 30/30 people by the method of random numbers. The patients did not significantly differ in gender, age and level of education. Patients of the main group, in addition to drug therapy, received cognitive training, which was conducted using the methodological manual «Cognitive training for patients with moderate cognitive disorders» developed by the staff of the Department of Nervous Diseases and Neurosurgery of the A.Ya. Kozhevnikov Clinic of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University on the basis of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University). Cognitive and emotional disorders have an impact on the quality of rehabilitation of patients after spinal neurosurgery. Cognitive-motor training included in the rehabilitation program of patients has a positive effect on the cognitive functions of patients and the level of anxiety. Evaluation of the results of postoperative rehabilitation show that the patients of the main group have significantly higher quality of life. Cognitive and emotional-affective disorders in patients after spinal neurosurgery have a negative impact on the quality of life. The inclusion of cognitive-motor training in the rehabilitation program makes it possible to reduce the severity of cognitive and emotional disorders in the postoperative period and improves the quality of life of patients. The results allow us to recommend the inclusion of cognitive-motor training in the rehabilitation program of patients after spinal neurosurgical operations.