Holistic neuropsychological rehabilitation: grief management in traumatic brain injury

Neuropsychological rehabilitation is based on the nature and scope of neuropsychological symptoms identified through structured interviews and standardized tests. Here, the focus is to understand brain injury recovery phases and effectively deal with post injury grief-bereavement process. We wanted to test the effect of neuropsychological functioning of a bullet shot/penetrating injury case with cognitive/lobular impairment, social-emotional losses and severe grief-bereavement process. Holistic neuropsychological approach consisting of MMSE and other Indian standardized neuropsychological test battery (VAIS, BSS, Mukundan's battery, WHOQOL-BREF), cognitive retraining (basic and functional), extensive- flexible Grief-Bereavement Therapy, Supportive Psychotherapy, Family Counseling, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Person Centered Therapy. Evidence of marked improvement in orientation, comprehension, working memory, verbal and performance ability, fronto-temporal functions and quality of life (physical, psychological, environmental and social) domains in comparison to his pre-therapy.

Holistic neuropsychological rehabilitative approach improved both patient's cognitive functioning and his quality of life. However, for such generalization, extensive studies are required.