Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy Uses Benefits and Examples
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You can try searching for a therapist who takes your insurance using Healthline’s FindCare tool.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904751/Basford JR, et al. (2015). Brief overview and assessment of the role and benefits of cognitive rehabilitation.
archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(15)00215-4/fulltextChandler MJ, et al. (2019). Comparative effectiveness of behavioral interventions on quality of life for older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized clinical trial.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2733423Cicerone KD, et al. (2019). Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation: Systematic review of the literature from 2009 through 2014.
archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(19)30194-7/fulltextFernandes HA, et al. (2019). Cognitive rehabilitation for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction: A systematic review.
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-019-04866-2Irazoki E, et al. (2020). Technologies for cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation for people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. A systematic review.
frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00648/fullKlein OA, et al. (2016). Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis: A meta-synthesis of patient perspectives.
tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09602011.2017.1309323?journalCode=pnrh20Renton T, et al. (2017). Neurofeedback as a form of cognitive rehabilitation therapy following stroke: A systematic review.
journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177290Thérond A, et al. (2021). The efficacy of cognitive remediation in depression: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032721001208Treating patients with traumatic brain injury. (2021).
store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/PEP21-05-03-001.pdfTulliani N, et al. (2022). Efficacy of cognitive remediation on activities of daily living in individuals with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-022-02032-0 What is cognitive remediation? (n.d.).
abct.org/fact-sheets/cognitive-remediation-for-psychiatric-disorders/Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Current Version Sep 29, 2022 By Jacquelyn Cafasso Edited By Rayne Whitington Medically Reviewed By Danielle Wade, LCSW Copy Edited By Sara Giusti Share this articleMedically reviewed by Danielle Wade, LCSW — By Jacquelyn Cafasso on September 29, 2022
Your Guide to Cognitive Rehabilitation
Medically reviewed by Danielle Wade, LCSW — By Jacquelyn Cafasso on September 29, 2022Many medical problems, such as traumatic brain injuries, stroke, dementia, and even cancer, can affect the brain and make it difficult for someone to think or process information. Cognitive rehabilitation therapy refers to a group of treatments that help improve a person’s ability to think after a brain injury or illness that affects the brain. Cognitive rehab therapy includes a variety of methods and approaches. They all aim to restore cognitive function. Cognitive function includes skills like attention, memory, processing speed, problem-solving, and multitasking. In cognitive rehab therapy, medical experts, such as therapists and psychologists, work together to come up with a plan to restore as much cognitive function as possible based on your personal needs and goals.What happens in cognitive rehab
During cognitive rehab, therapists and psychiatrists use different methods, techniques, and tools to help improve your cognitive abilities. These might be done during individual or group sessions guided by a therapist, online programs, or a combination of these. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to cognitive rehab. The type of exercises and tasks you’ll perform will be tailored to your needs. Depending on your specific needs, treatment might aim to improve one or more of the following skills:memoryattentionunderstandingreasoningproblem-solving skillsability to multitaskprocessing speeddecision making skillsorganizationplanningcommunication (written, speech, language, etc.)self-awareness Cognitive rehab is based on the concept of neuroplasticity — that the brain can change and adjust throughout life by strengthening existing connections or creating new ones. In general, there are two types of cognitive rehab:Restorative treatment: You’ll practice skills to improve them. Examples include memory exercises, problem-solving games, and mental exercises aimed at improving attention span.Compensatory treatment: You’ll learn how to work around your deficits or injuries. This includes using smartphones, calendars, memory tools, and devices, and setting alarms to help compensate for reduced cognitive function.Benefits of cognitive rehabilitation
By improving cognitive abilities, cognitive rehab makes it easier to manage and perform everyday activities. It may also help you:improve social relationshipslive more independentlyenhance your ability to communicate with others through written or spoken languagemultitask and stay organizedperform better at workmake decisions Studies involving people with multiple sclerosis (MS) suggest that cognitive rehab can also help someone gain a better understanding of their illness. It can increase their confidence and optimism in overcoming that illness and have an overall positive impact on their quality of life.What is cognitive rehabilitation used for
Cognitive rehab can help treat many conditions that affect the brain. It’s been most studied in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. TBI usually occurs after an accident involving a bump or jolt to the head. Stroke is when the blood supply to the brain is cut off for a period of time. But there’s evidence that the various types of cognitive rehab techniques can also help with other illnesses that affect the brain, such as:dementiaaneurysmbipolar disorderepilepsyschizophreniaAlzheimer’s diseaseParkinson’s diseaseobsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)executive dysfunctionattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)anxietydepressionautismaphasiamultiple sclerosis (MS)long COVIDcognitive dysfunction caused by cancer or treatment for cancercognitive dysfunction caused by brain surgeryCognitive remediation vs cognitive rehabilitation
Cognitive remediation is a type of cognitive rehab, but the terms are often used interchangeably. Cognitive remediation might also be called cognitive enhancement or cognitive training. Both cognitive remediation and cognitive rehab are different from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a treatment approach that helps you think through emotional and psychiatric problems, whereas cognitive rehab and remediation help improve the underlying functions that help you think.Techniques and strategies for cognitive rehabilitation
Any technique or strategy that helps improve cognitive function following an injury or illness to the brain can be considered a type of cognitive rehab. These techniques may be focused on improving a specific cognitive function. They may be restorative or compensatory. Some examples of strategies used during cognitive rehab include:neurofeedback, also called electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback, which allows you to see your own brain waves on a computer monitor as you perform tasks to help you recognize and regulate your brain functionattention processing training (APT), which involves exercises to help you focus and ignore distractionsvirtual reality, which can provide sensory stimulation and real-time feedback when doing specific motor tasksusing external assistive devices speech-language therapy exercises for speech or language problemsoccupational therapy for help with daily or work taskscomputer-assisted training programsusing smartphones and GPS devices to help with daily living and task organizationExamples of cognitive rehabilitation exercises
The type of cognitive rehab exercises your care team uses in your treatment plan will depend on your specific needs. For example, after a brain injury, you might find yourself easily distracted, unable to complete tasks quickly, and having trouble with your memory. As part of restorative treatment, you might perform some memory exercises using special computer software or written worksheets to challenge your memory. Other examples of rehab exercises in restorative cognitive rehab therapy include:problem-solving gamesmotor dexterity tasksreading information out loud or creating a story containing the information to help you learn it more quickly You might have to repeat a series of tasks that gradually increase in difficulty over time. As part of compensatory treatment, you might learn how to use a daily planner on your smartphone and set reminders that help you stay focused and break down tasks. Other examples of compensatory cognitive rehab therapy tasks include:using assistive speech devices to help with a speech impairmentlearning memory toolssetting alarms that help you regain lost attention or remember important eventsIs rehabilitation effective
A 2019 systematic review of 121 studies evaluated by the Cognitive Rehabilitation Task Force found substantial evidence to support cognitive rehab after TBI or stroke. Another systematic review published in 2022, which included 11 studies, showed that cognitive rehab was effective in helping people with mild cognitive impairment or early stage dementia perform their daily tasks of living. But current evidence across other conditions is limited. Individual studies across other conditions are often small or personalized for people with different clinical conditions with unique goals and objectives. There are no current guidelines for selecting the most effective cognitive rehab treatments for each specific person. More research is needed to understand the effectiveness of each type of rehab therapy and the conditions in which they are most beneficial.How to find a cognitive rehabilitation therapist
Depending on your needs, you might receive cognitive rehab therapy from a: speech therapistoccupational therapistneurofeedback practitionerphysical therapistcognitive remediation therapistpsychiatristrehabilitation psychologist with specialized training Ask your primary care doctor for a referral to a specialist in these areas. A local cognitive rehab therapist might be difficult to find, but the field is rapidly growing.You can try searching for a therapist who takes your insurance using Healthline’s FindCare tool.
Takeaway
Cognitive rehabilitation is a useful and effective therapy to help people with brain injuries and illnesses improve their ability to think. During cognitive rehab therapy, you might practice skills to improve cognitive deficiencies or learn techniques to help you work around these issues. If you’re interested in cognitive rehab therapy, speak with your doctor about your options. You can ask for a referral to a therapist or other healthcare professional who specializes in this type of treatment. Last medically reviewed on September 29, 2022How we vetted this article
SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Barman A, et al. (2016). Cognitive impairment and rehabilitation strategies after traumatic brain injury.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904751/Basford JR, et al. (2015). Brief overview and assessment of the role and benefits of cognitive rehabilitation.
archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(15)00215-4/fulltextChandler MJ, et al. (2019). Comparative effectiveness of behavioral interventions on quality of life for older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized clinical trial.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2733423Cicerone KD, et al. (2019). Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation: Systematic review of the literature from 2009 through 2014.
archives-pmr.org/article/S0003-9993(19)30194-7/fulltextFernandes HA, et al. (2019). Cognitive rehabilitation for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction: A systematic review.
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-019-04866-2Irazoki E, et al. (2020). Technologies for cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation for people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. A systematic review.
frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00648/fullKlein OA, et al. (2016). Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis: A meta-synthesis of patient perspectives.
tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09602011.2017.1309323?journalCode=pnrh20Renton T, et al. (2017). Neurofeedback as a form of cognitive rehabilitation therapy following stroke: A systematic review.
journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0177290Thérond A, et al. (2021). The efficacy of cognitive remediation in depression: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032721001208Treating patients with traumatic brain injury. (2021).
store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/PEP21-05-03-001.pdfTulliani N, et al. (2022). Efficacy of cognitive remediation on activities of daily living in individuals with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-022-02032-0 What is cognitive remediation? (n.d.).
abct.org/fact-sheets/cognitive-remediation-for-psychiatric-disorders/Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Current Version Sep 29, 2022 By Jacquelyn Cafasso Edited By Rayne Whitington Medically Reviewed By Danielle Wade, LCSW Copy Edited By Sara Giusti Share this articleMedically reviewed by Danielle Wade, LCSW — By Jacquelyn Cafasso on September 29, 2022