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A cognitive energy crisis: A systematic review & meta-analysis of effective interventions for pediatric cognitive

Emily Danson1, Ruth Brunsdon2,3, Amanda Lane-Brown4,5

  • 1School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
|August 12, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Behavioral interventions significantly reduce cognitive fatigue in children with acquired brain injuries (ABIs). Further research is needed to establish specific treatment guidelines for pediatric ABI cognitive fatigue.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Rehabilitation
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Acquired Brain Injuries (ABIs) significantly disrupt pediatric development.
  • Cognitive fatigue is a prevalent and persistent issue following pediatric ABIs.
  • Current interventions for pediatric ABI-related cognitive fatigue lack strong evidence-based support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive fatigue in pediatric ABI patients.
  • To identify existing research on treatments for cognitive fatigue after acquired brain injuries in children.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies identified through comprehensive database searches (Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, Cinahl, Scopus).
  • Inclusion criteria were applied to select relevant articles.
  • Five articles met the criteria; three were of excellent quality and included in the meta-analysis.

Main Results:

  • Behavioral interventions demonstrated a statistically significant effect in reducing cognitive fatigue, supported by both self-report and caregiver report.
  • A pharmacological intervention (creatine) also showed potential effectiveness, though not included in the meta-analysis.
  • The limited number of studies (n=5) impacts the robustness of the findings.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral interventions show promise for managing cognitive fatigue in pediatric ABI.
  • Pharmacological interventions like creatine warrant further investigation.
  • More high-quality research is essential to develop evidence-based treatment guidelines for cognitive fatigue post-pediatric ABI.

Keywords:
Acquired brain injuryCognitive fatigueEvidence-based guidelinesInterventionPediatricRehabilitation

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