Computerized Training of Working Memory for Patients with Acquired Brain Injury

Abstract

Background: Patients with acquired brain injury often experience impaired working memory (WM), a condition that can make everyday life activities and work difficult. Objectives: This study investigates the effects of computerized WM training on WM skills, cognitive tests, activity per- formance and estimated health and whether the effects of computerized WM training can be at- tributed to sex or time since injury. Methods: Forty-eight patients with acquired brain injury un- derwent computerized WM training. Patients were tested by a neuropsychologist and interviewed by an occupational therapist just prior and 20 weeks after completion of training. Results: Patients who participated in computerized WM training significantly improved their WM skills shown in WM index, their neuropsychological test scores, and their self-estimated health scores. They also significantly improved their performance of individually defined WM-related everyday activities and their satisfaction with the performance of these activities. There was a significant difference in terms of WM index, WM-related daily activity performance, and satisfaction with respect to time since injury. Conclusion: Computerized WM training can improve cognitive and everyday per- formance for patients with acquired brain injury. Patients can improve their cognitive functions a long time after suffering a brain injury or disease. This effect is greater if WM training is used early in the rehabilitation.