A pilot study for rehabilitation of central executive deficits after traumatic brain injury

Primary objective: An impairment of the central executive system (CES) of working memory (WM) is a common consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and may also explain deficits in divided attention, long-term memory and executive functions. Here we investigated the efficacy of a rehabilitative program (working memory training: WMT) targeting the CES in improving WM and other cognitive functions dependent on this system. Methods and procedures: Nine TBI patients with severe WM deficits underwent the WMT (experimental training). The WMT was preceded by a general stimulation training (GST, control training). Patients' cognitive performance was evaluated at the admission, after the GST and at the end of the WMT. Main outcomes and results: Whereas the GST had no effect on patients' performance, after the WMT patients improved in all the cognitive functions dependent on the CES, but not in those functions not thought to tap this system. Importantly, a beneficial WMT effect was found on patients' everyday life functioning. Conclusions: The results support the efficacy of the WMT in recovering CES impairments.