Study Details

Overview of the study

Background: People with diseases that impact the function of the brain often experience working memory impairments. This entails decreased quality of life and ability to contribute to a workplace and in a family.

Computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (CBCR) targeted at specific mental symptoms is a promising method for rehabilitation of working memory in diseases that impact the brain, and the method is currently in limited use. Research is still needed to show if CBCR is better than performing any mentally stimulating activity on a computer.

Hypothesis: CBCR targeted at specific mental impairments enhances working memory significantly compared to generally stimulating mental activities on a computer

Purpose: To identify if CBCR is an effective method for enhancing working memory and thereby also independency and quality of life in people with diseases that impacts the brain.

Method: This study includes 600 patients from various clinics across Europe, who have working memory impairments due to stroke, Parkinson’s disease or heart attack. Patients will be randomized to CBCR or general training for eight weeks. Before and after the intervention patients will receive tests of working memory, quality of life and independency in activities of daily living.

Gain: If CBCR is an effective method to enhance impaired working memory and quality of life, it should be implemented broadly as a standard rehabilitation method in clinical practice.

About COMPEX 

The ability to multitask is necessary for leading a normal life with independent functioning. Multi-tasking and related complex mental functions are also called ‘executive functions’. The executive functions are often impaired in diseases that affect the brain, such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease or heart attack. This leads to subtle mental impairments that might cause the individual to be fired from the working place, divorce and more.

“I feel like I should be able to make my life work by now, but I suddenly lose track of what I was doing, then it fails and I get so frustrated I give up.” (Lis, 58 years old, 9 months after a stroke)

The number of people affected by impaired executive functions and other mental functions is increasing worldwide, partly because we live longer, but also partly because better acute treatment of stroke and heart disease means that more people survive and experience mental impairments.  

These subtle problems lead to decreased ability to work and decreased capability to participate in the family. The golden standard in cognitive rehabilitation is specialized long-term training with a neuropsychologist, but because of the extended resources this requires, many patients never receive this type of cognitive rehabilitation offer.

Research in methods to mitigate cognitive impairments is a high priority for patient organizations, and as health personnel we know how important it is to be able to lead a life of quality and independency even with a condition that affects the brain.

This study therefore explores if computer-based cognitive rehabilitation can help mitigate symptoms of impaired executive functions, specifically working memory, with increased levels of independent functioning as a result. This study aims to include a total of 600 patients with Parkinson’s disease, stroke and heart attack from different European hospitals.