Research article summary (published 29 Apr 2004):

[Pragmatic impairments following traumatic brain injury]

(Alteraciones de la pragmática de la comunicación después de un traumatismo craneoencefálico.)

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe how cognitive impairments contribute to the loss of communicative competence after traumatic brain injury (TBI), what instruments can be used to evaluate the pragmatic skills and which therapeutic approaches may be used to improve or compensate for this deficit. DISCUSSION: We present a detailed bibliographic review on the topic that shows how certain functions (namely, memory, attention and executive functions) interact with communication skills, both expressive and comprehensive. The pragmatic approaches for cognitive-communicative TBI impairments are allow to count typical difficulties that are described (difficulty with topic selection, turn-taking initiation, ability to respond or give indirect requests, ability to meet the informational needs of the listener, appropriateness of utterances within conversation, etc). Next a general outline of the assessment and treatment of is provided, including several strategies based on recovery and functional adaptation and compensation. CONCLUSIONS: Given the huge influence of communicative skills on social and vocational integration, it is crucial to obtain a better understanding of the interaction between cognitive functions and communicative skills. Therefore, we need to devise assessment protocols specifically designed for Spanish speakers as well as new therapeutic approaches to increase the life quality of this population. The specific approaches to improve narrative, procedural and conversational discourse must divide from the components of the pragmatic competence and promote the cooperative participation of the teamwork who attend to the patient.

Author information

Author/s: Muñoz-Céspedes, J M (JM); Melle, N (N);

Affiliation: Unidad de Daño Cerebral, Hospital Beata María Ana, Madrid, Spain. jmcespedes(-atsign-)correo.cop.es

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: English Abstract; Journal Article; Review

Journal: Revista de neurologia (Rev Neurol), published in Spain. (Language: spa)

Reference: -2004 May 1-15; vol 38 (issue 9) : pp 852-9

Dates: Created 2004/05/20; Completed 2004/09/24; Revised 2009/05/28;

PMID: 15152355, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/28/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Attention - physiology Brain Injuries - complications; pathology; physiopathology; rehabilitation Cognition Disorders - etiology; physiopathology; therapy Communication Disorders - etiology; physiopathology; therapy

Communication Disorders - etiology; physiopathology; therapy Humans Memory - physiology Social Adjustment

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• [The Maastricht aging study (MAAS). The longitudinal perspective of cognitive aging] 30 May 1998
• Acquired brain injury, visual attention, and the useful field of view test: A pilot study. 28 Feb 2004
• The predictive brain state: timing deficiency in traumatic brain injury? 29 Apr 2008
• Regional hippocampal alteration associated with cognitive deficit following experimental brain injury: a systems, network and cellular evaluation. 30 Dec 2004
• The effects of normal ageing on neuropsychological functioning following traumatic brain injury. 29 Jun 1998
• Effortless control: executive attention and conscious feeling of mental effort are dissociable. 18 Jan 2005
• Ecological validity in neuropsychological assessment: a case for greater consideration in research with neurologically intact populations. 10 Jun 2006
• Diffuse brain injury in the immature rat: evidence for an age-at-injury effect on cognitive function and histopathologic damage. 29 Sep 2007
• Temporal dissociation of components of cognitive control dysfunction in severe TBI: ERPs and the cued-Stroop task. 22 Jun 2005
• Reversal of neuromotor and cognitive dysfunction in an enriched environment combined with multimodal early onset stimulation after traumatic brain injury in rats. 29 Jun 2005

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.