Communicating using the eyes without remembering it: cognitive rehabilitation in a severely brain-injured patient with amnesia, tetraplegia and anarthria

J Rehabil Med. 2009 Apr;41(5):393-6. doi: 10.2340/16501977-0344.

Abstract

We describe here a case of cognitive rehabilitation in a young patient with closed head injury, who had dense anterograde amnesia and such disabling neurological defects (tetraplegia and anarthria) that the condition evoked some features of an incomplete locked-in syndrome. After a prolonged period of no communicative possibility, the patient underwent a specific training, based on principles of errorless learning, with the aim of using a computerized eye-tracker system. Although, due to memory disturbances, the patient always denied ever having used the eye-tracker system, learned to use the computerized device and improved interaction with the environment. This favourable outcome may serve as a stimulus for devising new training approaches in patients with complex patterns of cognitive impairments, even when associated with severe motor impairments.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic
  • Adult
  • Amnesia / etiology
  • Amnesia / psychology
  • Amnesia / rehabilitation*
  • Brain Injuries / complications
  • Brain Injuries / psychology
  • Brain Injuries / rehabilitation*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology
  • Cognition Disorders / rehabilitation*
  • Dysarthria / etiology
  • Dysarthria / psychology
  • Dysarthria / rehabilitation*
  • Eye Movements*
  • Head Injuries, Closed / complications
  • Head Injuries, Closed / psychology
  • Head Injuries, Closed / rehabilitation*
  • Humans
  • Learning
  • Male
  • Nonverbal Communication* / psychology
  • Quadriplegia / psychology
  • Quadriplegia / rehabilitation*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • User-Computer Interface