Brain Training During Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery

Traumatic brain injury recovery can be a long road. TBIs can have significant and long-lasting effects on a person’s cognitive abilities, and these changes may make it difficult to perform daily tasks and hinder their quality of life. However, research has shown that targeted brain training may be an effective method for improving cognitive function in individuals who have suffered a TBI.

What Makes Brain Training Effective During Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery?

Brain training involves specific exercises designed to challenge and strengthen the brain’s neural pathways. These exercises can help individuals with TBI improve their memory, attention, processing speed, and other cognitive functions that may have been impacted by their injury.

One of the key benefits of brain training for TBI recovery is that it can be personalized to meet each person’s individual needs. This means that the training can be tailored to address the specific cognitive deficits that a person may be experiencing. Every brain responds to injury differently. Some lose the ability to read. Others may struggle with memory or focus. Some deal with spatial awareness or visual processing changes. Brain training can focus on the specific areas of struggle for each individual.

A Peek Inside the Brain

Brain training strengthens or establishes new connections between key areas of the brain to make thinking, focusing, remembering, and learning more efficient and easy. For many TBI victims, these connections have been damaged. The great news is that the brain’s neuroplasticity never goes away. Even as adults, we have the ability to establish new connections and rewire the brain to be more efficient and healthy.

During fMRI scans, our research has shown new connections formed between key areas of the brain. These connections correlated with improvements in working memory, attention, long-term memory, reading, logic, and so much more. Establishing these connections is SO important to help get your cognitive abilities back after injury!

Past Results of LearningRx Brain Training for TBI Survivors:

Over a nine-year period, 386 children and adults came to LearningRx diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI). We measured the cognitive skills of these clients before and after brain training. Here’s what we discovered:

• Among 386 clients with TBI, the most dramatic improvements were seen in long-term memory, auditory processing, and broad attention.
• Long-term memory skills improved an average of 3.9 years following LearningRx brain training.
• IQ scores also improved after LearningRx brain training.

But beyond these empirical improvements, the stories our traumatic brain injury recovery clients tell us show what a major impact brain training has on their lives.

In a case study of a 34-year-old client who was suffering effects from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Iraq, this individual experienced dramatic cognitive gains after just 18 weeks of training.

Check out this video for another incredible story of how brain training gave Jim his life back after a tragic bicycle accident:

Take the First Step

While brain training is not a cure for TBI, it can be a useful tool for improving cognitive function. Many people have enhanced their overall quality of life after a TBI by rebuilding these core thinking skills.

The first step is to complete a baseline cognitive skills assessment. This test will show you how each core thinking skill ranks. This is a helpful guide to determine the extent of cognitive damage you may have experienced, as well as the areas to focus on during your recovery. If you want to start the journey to stronger thinking, focus, and memory, contact us today!