Cognitive and Affective Predictors of Participation in Rehab after ABI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cognitive and Affective Predictors of Participation in Rehabilitation after Acquired Brain Injury
IRAS ID
136747
Contact name
Joanna Teale
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Highland Research and Development Manager
Research summary
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is damage to the brain that was sudden in onset and occurred after birth ad the neonatal period. There are various causes of ABI including stroke, tumours or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). ABI is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in Scotland (McMillan et al., 2011).
Physical, behavioural, emotional and cognitive difficulties are common after ABI. Rehabilitation involves a multidisciplinary approach, and much research shows that the majority of recovery occurs during the initial months of rehabilitation after stroke and ABI (Dikmen, 1990; Skilbreck et al., 1983).
Cognitive impairment exists in approximately 70% of stroke patients in the acute stages of recovery (Nys et al., 2005) and is a strong predictor of dementia and functional dependence long-term (Nys et al., 2007). Executive functioning is a part of cognition responsible for higher order functions like planning, organisation and inhibition. Problems with executive functioning are the most common cognitive impairments post-stroke (Zinn et al., 2007) and have been shown to impact on the effectiveness of stroke treatment (McDowd et al., 2003; Mok et al., 2004). Mood disorders are also common, and prevalence rates of depression are similar after both TBI and stroke with approximately 50% of people experiencing depression at some point (Fleminger et al., 2003).
Only one other study has considered how cognitive and mood factors directly contribute to participation in rehabilitation (Skidmore et al., 2010). This study examined an older adult population who had experienced stroke and found that both executive functioning and depressive symptoms were correlated with participation in rehabilitation. The importance of establishing whether there is a relationship between executive functioning, depression and a person’s ability to participate in rehabilitation has clear implications for the need to assess and treat these difficulties in the rehabilitation environment in order to maximise patient gains.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
14/NS/0001
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion