Computer-assisted exercise systems in traumatic brain injury: cases and commentary

Let the games begin: a preliminary study using attention process training-3 and Lumosity™ brain games to remediate attention deficits following traumatic brain injury

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Computer-based treatments for attention problems have become increasingly popular and available. The researchers sought to determine whether improved performance by survivors of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) on two computer-based treatments generalized to improvements on comparable, untrained tasks and ecologically-plausible attention tasks comprising a standardized assessment.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The researchers used an -A-B-A-C-A treatment design repeated across four adult survivors of severe TBI.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Participants engaged in 8 weeks of intervention using both Attention Process Training-3 (APT-3) and Lumosity™ (2010) Brain Games. Two participants received APT-3 treatment first, while the other two received Lumosity™ treatment first. All participants received both treatments throughout the course of two, 1-month intervention phases.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Individual growth curve analyses showed participants made significant improvements in progressing through both interventions. However, limited generalization occurred: one participant demonstrated significantly improved performance on one of five probe measures and one other participant showed improved performance on some sub-tests of the Test of Everyday Attention; no other significant generalization results emerged. These findings call into question the assumption that intervention using either APT-3 or Lumosity™ will prompt generalization beyond the actual tasks performed during treatment.