Rehabilitation of executive deficits in closed head injury and anterior communicating artery aneurysm patients

This paper reports a study that was aimed to rehabilitate executive functio ns in closed head injury (CHI) and anterior communicating artery (ACoA) ane urysm patients. The groups tested comprised 10 CHI patients, 9 ACoA aneurys m patients and 19 controls. We employed a dual-task paradigm that is known to tap the ability to co-ordinate two actions. The treatment consisted of f ive experimental sessions, in which the dual-task paradigm was used. In the CHI study, the dual-task cost was measured before the treatment (assessmen t), immediately after the treatment (retest), and 3 months after the treatm ent (follow-up). In the ACoA aneurysm study, the dual-task cost was also as sessed 12 months after the treatment. A significant reduction of the dual-t ask cost from assessment to retest was found. This reduction remained stabl e in the follow-up sessions. The results are discussed with reference to th e absence of spontaneous recovery of this specific executive function and t o the possibility that the beneficial effect of the treatment generalises t o other executive functions and/or daily living activities.