Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may affect 10 million people worldwide. It is considered the "signature wound" of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. These injuries result from a bump or blow to the head, or from external forces that cause the brain to move within the head, such as whiplash or exposure to blasts. TBI can cause an array of physical and mental health concerns and is a growing problem, particularly among soldiers and veterans because of repeated exposure to violent environments. One form of treatment for TBI is cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT), a patient-specific, goal-oriented approach to help patients increase their ability to process and interpret information. The Department of Defense asked the IOM to conduct a study to determine the effectiveness of CRT for treatment of TBI. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary PART I: BACKGROUND 1 Introduction 2 Traumatic Brain Injury 3 Factors Affecting Recovery 4 Defining Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy 5 State of Practice and Providersof Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy PART II: REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE 6 Methods 7 Attention 8 Executive Function 9 Language and Social Communication 10 Memory 11 Multi-Modal or Comprehensive Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy 12 Telehealth Technology 13 Adverse Events or Harm PART III: RECOMMENDATIONS 14 Directions Appendixes Appendix A: Comparative Effectiveness and Implementation Research for Neurocognitive Disorders: Concepts Relevant to Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury Appendix B: Workshop Agendas Appendix C: Recent and Ongoing Clinical Trials: CRT for TBI Appendix D: Biosketches of Committee Members and Staff