The study found that computerized cognitive remediation can induce neuroplasticity and improve cognitive performance in adults with chronic traumatic brain injury. Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and reorganize nerve fibers that support learning and mental processing.
The researchers randomly assigned 17 adults (ages 24–56) to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group used the Brain Fitness Program 2.0 and completed 40 one-hour sessions across 14 weeks. The training involved tasks such as:
- recalling syllable sequences,
- distinguishing between different sound frequencies,
- and recalling details from a verbal story.
Investigators used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, which measures the speed and direction of water molecules as they move through the brain, to assess nerve-fiber pathways. Participants who completed the program showed structural changes in white matter that the team compared to repaired telephone wires after a heavy storm. These changes were connected to measurable gains on tests of processing speed, attention, and working memory, and the researchers linked increased strength and stability of nerve fibers to improved cognitive ability. Gerald Voelbel, associate professor of cognitive neuroscience at NYU Steinhardt and the study's senior author, presented the results in the Journal of Neurotrauma. Source: NYU.
Difficult words
- neuroplasticity — Brain ability to change and reorganize
- remediation — Training designed to improve cognitive skills
- white matter — Brain tissue made of nerve fiber bundles
- diffusion — Movement of molecules from one place to another
- imaging — Techniques for making pictures of body structures
- processing speed — How quickly the brain handles information
- working memory — Short-term holding and using of information
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might cognitive training programs affect daily life for someone with chronic traumatic brain injury? Give examples.
- What further research would you suggest to confirm and expand these results?
- What are possible limitations of a study with seventeen participants, and how could researchers address them?
Related articles
Plague and the role of human fleas in Madagascar
The plague is still endemic in some countries, including Madagascar. Researchers found that the human flea Pulex irritans contributes to outbreaks and that household conditions and insecticide use influence flea levels and control efforts.
Mechanical tipping point behind sudden fibrosis
Scientists found a mechanical "tipping point" that makes groups of cells switch quickly from healthy to fibrotic states. Collagen fibers, cell spacing and crosslinking control this abrupt change and affect how far mechanical signals travel.
New method could link quantum computers over long distances
Researchers at the University of Chicago describe a theoretical method to connect quantum computers over about 2,000 km by improving how long atoms keep quantum states. The team used a different crystal growth process and will test links in the lab.