image: Dr. Chiaravalloti is director of the Centers for Traumatic Brain Injury, Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation, and project director for the Northern New Jersey TBI Model System. view more
Credit: Kessler Foundation
East Hanover, NJ - November 10, 2020 - A new text by Kessler Foundation scientists focuses on the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation across a variety of neurological conditions, with specific emphasis on treatment-related changes in the brain detectable via neuroimaging.
"Cognitive Rehabilitation and Neuroimaging: Examining the Evidence from Brain to Behavior," (DOI:10.1007/978-3-030-48382-1) is authored by John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Training, Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of the Centers for Neuropsychology, Neuroscience, and Traumatic Brain Injury Research, and Erica Weber, PhD, research scientist in the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research. The authors conduct cognitive rehabilitation research at Kessler Foundation, home to the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center, a research-dedicated facility, and collaborate with researchers in the U.S. and the international community.
Because the nature of cognitive impairment and rehabilitative interventions differ across populations, content is divided by neurological condition, with experts addressing aging, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS). The use of neuroimaging in cognitive rehabilitation trials is covered, as well as the need to design trials to establish Class I evidence for new treatments.
"Neuroimaging has advanced cognitive rehabilitation by enabling us to examine brain processes and correlate them with alterations in behavior and anatomical structures," said Dr. DeLuca. "Using specialized techniques such as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and electroencephalography, we are documenting how cognitive interventions effect changes in neural activation and connectivity that correlate with improvements in language, memory, attention, and motor function. Through advancements in neuroimaging analysis, we are learning more about the neuroplasticity of the brain in MS and schizophrenia, which will challenge researchers to apply these approaches to populations where more investigation is needed, such as children with brain injuries and individuals with brain tumors."
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Published in October 2020 by Springer International Publishing, the book is available in print and eBook: eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-48382-1; Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-48381-4
Dr. DeLuca speaks about this new resource in Kessler Foundation's Fast Take podcast series https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/cognitive-rehabilitation-and-neuroimaging-examining-the-evidence-from-brain-to-behavior
About the Authors
John DeLuca, PhD, is the Senior Vice President for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation, a Professor in the Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a licensed psychologist in the States of New Jersey and New York. He is board certified in Rehabilitation Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. DeLuca has been involved in neuropsychology and rehabilitation research for over 30 years. He is internationally known for his research on disorders of memory and information processing in a variety of clinical populations including: multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. DeLuca serves on the editorial boards of several journals, has served on numerous committees for both national and international societies associated with neuropsychology, and has received national and international awards in recognition of his work.
Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, PhD, is the Director of the Centers for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation, Research Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a licensed psychologist in the States of New Jersey and New York. She is the Project Director for the Northern New Jersey TBI Model System funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. Dr. Chiaravalloti conducts research in cognitive rehabilitation, particularly in new learning, memory and processing speed. Dr. Chiaravalloti is a member of the International Neuropsychological Society, the American Psychological Association, the National Academy of Neuropsychology, the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Cognitive Neuroscience Society.
Erica Weber, PhD, is a Research Scientist in the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at the Kessler Foundation, a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and a licensed clinical psychologist in New York State. She was the recipient of a 2016 Switzer Research Fellowship, awarded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. Dr. Weber conducts research on strategies to improve prospective memory, the ability to remember to perform an intended task at a specific time. Her work is designed to help people with traumatic brain injury and other neurological conditions.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. Learn more by visiting http://www.KesslerFoundation.org.
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