Workgroup 4: Neuropsychologcal interventions in people with ABI

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a condition in which brain injury has been acquired by suffering a CVA (stroke), brain trauma, a tumour, inflammation, epilepsy, poisoning, oxygen deprivation or neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease.  

Consequences of acquired brain injury can be seen on different domains, like cognition (slow-thinking, attention problems, memory problems), emotion (flattened, personality changes) and social (withdrawn). Other consequences can be growing tired very easily and having trouble keeping up at school or at work. Usually, at first attention is mainly on physical condition (broken bones, motor problems, injuries).

Problems that are experienced after TBI will often decrease.

Treatment of TBI is multidisciplinary. Different teams will cooperate to give the patient the treatment he or she needs. Physicians, neurologists, psychiatrists and other doctors will cooperate with physiotherapists, ergotherapists, social workers, neuropsychologists and other kind of therapists.

Examples of neuropsychological interventions are psycho-education, cognitive training, teaching alternative methods, treatment of psychosocial problems (CBT, systematic therapy), adaption of living/working/learning environment. It is important to note that not only the patient itself must be paid attention to. Everyone who is affected must be focused on.