Rehabilitation of Executive Function Impairments after Stroke

Recent advances in neuropsychological research reveal the importance of cognitive function in stroke rehabilitation. Executive function is the highest function of the cognitive process, however, studies focused on rehabilitation outcomes are rare. Three ACoA aneurysm rupture survivors are trained with self-instructional training, a problem-solving procedure, and physical-set changing exercises for 6 months. Two subjects improved their scores on a neuropsychological test (Tinker-Toy Test) after problem-solving training. Patients revealed improvement in all activities in their everyday lives, including ADLs, instrumental ADLs, leisure activities, etc. These results suggest that a remedy for executive function impairments must be a fruitful area for future research in stroke rehabilitation.