Cognitive Intervention & Recovery (Post-Stroke)
Targeted rehabilitation to restore cognitive-communication skills after stroke.
A stroke can cause sudden disruption to cognitive and communication abilities depending on the area and extent of brain damage. Post-stroke cognitive deficits may affect attention, memory, executive function, visuospatial processing, and awareness of deficits. These cognitive impairments often co-occur with aphasia, dysarthria, or dysphagia, creating a complex clinical picture that requires comprehensive rehabilitation.
Recovery from stroke-related cognitive deficits follows a trajectory that is most rapid in the first weeks and months but can continue for years with appropriate therapy. Factors influencing recovery include the size and location of the stroke, the individual's premorbid cognitive abilities, age, overall health, and the intensity and quality of rehabilitation services received.
Speech-language pathologists design individualized cognitive rehabilitation programs for stroke survivors that combine restorative exercises with compensatory strategies and environmental modifications. Treatment is goal-oriented, focusing on the cognitive-communication skills most important for the individual's return to daily activities, work, and community participation.
Signs & Symptoms
- •Difficulty sustaining attention or concentrating on tasks after stroke
- •Short-term memory impairment and difficulty learning new information
- •Challenges with planning, organizing, and executing multi-step tasks
- •Reduced awareness of cognitive or communication deficits (anosognosia)
- •Difficulty with problem-solving and flexible thinking
- •Slower speed of information processing
Treatment Approaches
- •Intensive cognitive rehabilitation targeting specific deficit areas
- •Attention Process Training (APT) for attention disorders
- •External memory aid training including smartphones, notebooks, and alarms
- •Task-specific functional training for return to daily activities and work
- •Caregiver education and support for long-term recovery management
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