Attention Disorders in Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Abstract

Disorders of attention have been recognized as a major legacy of all forms of brain injury since the beginning of this century. Until recently, disorders of attention have been overshadowed by disorders of memory as the major focus of research and cognitive rehabilitation. Neuropsychologists are now beginning to recognize the significance of attentional mechanisms in the mediation of many forms of learning and behavior. The present article attempts to provide a definition of attention that has relevance for rehabilitation therapists and others working in the field of brain injury rehabilitation. A review of those clinical studies that have attempted to improve the attentional capacity and information processing skills of brain injured patients suggests that although behavioral aspects of attention are amenable to change and improvement, cognitive or information processing changes are not so easily achieved.