I Müller1, B Sabel, E Kasten. 1. Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Medizinsche Fakultät der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Magdeburg.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most rehabilitation studies on visual field deficits after stroke or trauma are conducted after completion of the spontaneous recovery phase. However, the question arises whether more extensive visual field improvements can be reached when the training starts very soon after the lesion. METHODS: In this study, the results of 26 patients who began visual restoration therapy within the first 12 months after the lesion were compared with an age-related group whose lesions were more than 1 year old. RESULTS: The early-onset group showed an improvement of 8% in computer campimetry and 10-15% in conventional automated perimetry. The late-onset group had 13.5% improvement in campimetry and 20% in perimetry. CONCLUSION: In contrast to our assumptions, there was no significant difference between the groups. Furthermore, the late-onset group showed considerably greater improvement than the early-onset group. It is proposed that pronounced attention deficits soon after brain damage may complicate the training.
BACKGROUND: Most rehabilitation studies on visual field deficits after stroke or trauma are conducted after completion of the spontaneous recovery phase. However, the question arises whether more extensive visual field improvements can be reached when the training starts very soon after the lesion. METHODS: In this study, the results of 26 patients who began visual restoration therapy within the first 12 months after the lesion were compared with an age-related group whose lesions were more than 1 year old. RESULTS: The early-onset group showed an improvement of 8% in computer campimetry and 10-15% in conventional automated perimetry. The late-onset group had 13.5% improvement in campimetry and 20% in perimetry. CONCLUSION: In contrast to our assumptions, there was no significant difference between the groups. Furthermore, the late-onset group showed considerably greater improvement than the early-onset group. It is proposed that pronounced attention deficits soon after brain damage may complicate the training.