Neuro-oncological and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
PLoS One. 2018 Jun 20;13(6):e0199001. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199001. eCollection 2018.
Pediatric brain damage is associated with various cognitive deficits. Cognitive rehabilitation may prevent and reduce cognitive impairment. In recent years, home-based computerized cognitive training (CCT) has been introduced in clinical practice to increase treatment opportunities for patients (telerehabilitation). However, limited research has been conducted thus far on investigating the effects of remote CCT for the juvenile population in contexts other than English-speaking countries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of a home-based CCT in a group of Italian adolescents with brain damage. A commercially available CCT (Lumosity) developed in the English language was used due to the lack of telerehabilitation programs in the Italian language that allow stimulation of multiple cognitive domains and, at the same time, remote automatic collection of data. Thus, this investigation provides information on the possibility of introducing CCT programs available in foreign languages in countries with limited investment in the telerehabilitation field.
32 adolescents aged 11-16 with a diagnosis of congenital or acquired (either traumatic or non-traumatic) brain damage participated in the study. They received 40 training sessions (5 days/week for 8 weeks). Before starting the training program, they received face-to-face demonstration of training exercises and written instructions in their mother tongue. The feasibility of both training and study design and procedures was assessed through 9 criteria taken from extant literature.
All 9 feasibility criteria were met. 31 out of the 32 participants demonstrated adherence to the training program. 94.2% of training sessions were completed in the recommended timeframe. No significant technical issue was found.
Telerehabilitation seems to be a feasible practice for adolescents with brain damage. A training program developed in a foreign language can be used to counter the unavailability of programs in patients' mother tongue.
The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry with study ID ISRCTN59250807.
小儿脑损伤与各种认知缺陷有关。认知康复可能预防和减少认知障碍。近年来，基于家庭的计算机化认知训练（CCT）已在临床实践中引入，以增加患者的治疗机会（远程康复）。然而，迄今为止，对于非英语国家的青少年群体，远程 CCT 的效果研究有限。本研究旨在探讨基于家庭的 CCT 在一组意大利脑损伤青少年中的可行性。由于缺乏意大利语的远程康复计划，该计划允许刺激多个认知领域，同时远程自动收集数据，因此使用了一种商用的英语语言开发的 CCT（Lumosity）。因此，这项研究提供了关于在远程康复领域投资有限的国家引入可用的外语 CCT 计划的可能性的信息。
32 名 11-16 岁的青少年患有先天性或后天性（无论是创伤性还是非创伤性）脑损伤，参加了该研究。他们接受了 40 次训练（每周 5 天，持续 8 周）。在开始培训计划之前，他们接受了以母语进行的培训练习和书面说明的面对面演示。通过从现有文献中提取的 9 个标准评估了培训和研究设计及程序的可行性。
所有 9 项可行性标准均得到满足。32 名参与者中的 31 名表现出对培训计划的坚持。94.2%的培训课程在推荐的时间框架内完成。没有发现重大技术问题。
远程康复对于脑损伤青少年来说似乎是一种可行的实践。可以使用在外国语言中开发的培训计划来解决患者母语中缺乏计划的问题。
该试验在 ISRCTN 注册中心注册，研究 ID 为 ISRCTN59250807。
