The cognitive impairments due to the occipito-parietal brain injury after gunshot. A successful neurorehabiliation case study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The presented case study describes the beneficial results of the neuropsychological rehabilitation of a gunshot victim, even with late initialization of the therapy--over 1 year after head trauma.

DESIGN:

A case study of DE, a victim with bilateral damage of the parietal-occipital regions of the brain due to a gunshot.

METHODS:

Neuropsychological rehabilitation, first preceded by an initial neuropsychological examination (standard psychological tests: WAIS-R, RAVLT, Rey's CFT, BVRT and clinical experiments tailored to DE's condition), was initiated 1 year after trauma. The rehabilitation programme consisted of computer-based tasks, paper-and-pencil exercises, and occupational therapy. The patient's progress was assessed as improvement in performance in standardized tests and computer-based tasks.

RESULTS:

DE was diagnosed with complex cognitive deficits syndrome, including visual associative agnosia, apraxia, visuospatial and constructive disorders and linguistic defects. After 1 year of rehabilitation the patient's functioning significantly improved as measured by psychological tests and computer-based tasks (p<0.05) as well as the evaluation of the patient's quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS:

The case study demonstrates beneficial effects of neurorehabilitation even initialized at the so-called 'late stage' after a brain injury.

• Authors: Joanna Seniow, Katarzyna Polanowska, Tomasz Mandat, Krzysztof Laudanski
• Journal: Brain injury (Brain Inj) Vol. 17 Issue 8 Pg. 701-13 (Aug 2003) ISSN: 0269-9052 [Print] England
• PMID: 12850955 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Apraxias (etiology, rehabilitation)
• Cognition Disorders (diagnostic imaging, etiology, rehabilitation)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (methods)
• Head Injuries, Penetrating (diagnostic imaging, psychology, rehabilitation)
• Humans
• Male
• Neurologic Examination
• Occipital Lobe (injuries)
• Parietal Lobe (injuries)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome
• Wounds, Gunshot (diagnostic imaging, psychology, rehabilitation)