What Clinicians Need to Know Chapter 2

What is ABI?

Acquired Brain Injury

What is the primary focus of cognitive rehabilitation for individuals with ABI?

Focus on functional outcomes to improve real-world participation, independence, and daily functioning.

Cognition is influenced not only by brain injury, but also by the contextual factors such as

Motivation, fatigue, pain, emotional state, and environmental conditions.

What are the four stages of memory processing?

Encoding

Consolidation

Storage

Retrieval

What is encoding in the context of memory?

The initial processing of information.

What does consolidation refer to in memory?

The stabilization of the memory trace over time.

What does storage refer to in memory?

The passive retention of information.

What does retrieval refer to in memory?

the ability to access stored information.

How do cognitive domains interact?

Deficits in one domain may appear as deficits in another due to overlapping functions.

What are the three fundamentals of cognition?

Cognitive domains are multifactorial

Cognitive domains interact

Cognition is context dependent

Cognitive domains are multifactorial

Each domain (attention, memory, executive function, social cognition) has multiple subcomponents.

Cognitive domains interact

Working memory, attention, and executive functions overlap heavily so a deficit in one may appear as a deficit in another

Cognition is context dependent

Psychological (motivation), somatic (pain, fatigue), and environment (noise, lighting) factors significantly influence cognitive performance

What is bottom-up attention?

Automatic, reflexive, stimulus-driven processes.

What are the components of bottom-up attention?

Processing speed, attentional capacity, and orientation to stimuli.

What is top-down attention?

Voluntary, controlled, strategic processes.

What are the components of top-down attention?

Sustained attention, selective attention, divided attention, and alternating attention.

What is working memory?

The mental workspace used to hold and manipulate information.

What are the two types of working memory spans?

Simple span and operational span.

What is declarative memory?

Conscious learning that includes semantic and episodic memory.

What is semantic memory?

Your 'mental encyclopedia' that includes vocabulary, facts, and concepts.

What is episodic memory?

Your 'mental diary' that includes personal experiences and events tied to time and place.

What is prospective memory?

Remembering to perform future actions, such as taking medication.

What are common memory impairments after ABI?

Anterograde amnesia, retrograde amnesia, and post-traumatic amnesia (PTA).

What are executive functions (EF)?

Cognitive processes needed for goal-directed behavior.

What are the core executive functions according to Diamond's model?

Inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory.

What is inhibition in executive functions?

Resisting impulses, distractions, and automatic responses.

What does cognitive flexibility involve?

Shifting perspectives and adapting behavior.

What is self-awareness in the context of ABI?

Understanding that a deficit exists (intellectual awareness) and recognizing problems during task performance (online awareness).

What is social cognition?

The ability to understand emotions, empathy, theory of mind, and social knowledge.

What is the significance of nondeclarative memory in rehabilitation?

It is preserved after ABI and supports procedural learning.

What are the stages of the memory process model?

Attention, encoding, consolidation, storage, and retrieval.

What can cause failures in prospective memory?

Poor encoding, consolidation, cue detection, or initiation.

What is the role of metacognition in executive functions?

Self-monitoring and self-evaluation, essential for independence.