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Enriching Communicative Environments: Leveraging Advances in Neuroplasticity for Improving Outcomes in Neurogenic
Julie A Hengst1, Melissa C Duff2, Theresa A Jones3
1Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
|November 20, 2018
Summary
Enriching environments positively impacts brain health and behavior in animals. This approach can be applied to create rich communicative environments for adults with cognitive-communication disorders, aiding rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Communication Disorders
Background:
- Environmental enrichment in animal models demonstrates significant positive impacts on neuroplasticity and behavior.
- This research extends the concept of environmental complexity to human communicative interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review animal research on environmental enrichment and its relevance to human cognitive-communication disorders.
- To define and analyze rich communicative environments for adults with aphasia and amnesia.
- To present research on designing and implementing rich communicative environments for therapeutic goals.
Main Methods:
- Critical review of animal literature on environmental complexity.
- Definition and analysis of rich communicative environments for humans, incorporating complexity, voluntariness, and experiential quality.
- Application of sociocultural theories and frameworks like distributed communication and functional systems.
Main Results:
- Environmental enrichment in animals consistently improves neuroplasticity and behavioral outcomes.
- Rich communicative environments for humans can be designed using principles of complexity and sociocultural learning.
- Research demonstrates the potential of enriched communicative interactions for individuals with aphasia and amnesia.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing environments and experiences is a promising rehabilitation strategy for cognitive-communicative abilities after brain injury.
- Interventions should focus on enriching communicative environments and targeting distributed communication within functional systems.
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