[A pilot study: neuropsychological rehabilitation of patients with solvent-induced toxic encephalopathy]

Fourteen patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy underwent a neuropsychological intervention comprising crisis therapy, information about the disease, and cognitive training. Evaluation showed the patients to have experienced substantial improvement in their daily life and family relations as a result of the intervention. Their affective symptoms decreased and their verbal memory improved. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements showed training-dependent changes of functional activity related to change in memory strategy. This rCBF change had disappeared six months later, however, suggesting that the duration of intervention needs to be extended in order for use of the learned memory techniques to become automatic. We conclude that neuropsychological rehabilitation is effective and should be made available to patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy.