Intervening Quickly: A Pilot RCT to Improve Cognitive Processing Speed in Acute SCI

Spinal cord injury (SCI) newly affects approximately 18,000 persons in the US per year. Decades of research have focused on the physical limitations associated with SCI, as well as therapies for addressing these physical problems. However, it is becoming better acknowledged that many individuals experience significant problems with their cognitive abilities, such as attention, memory, and the time it takes them to process information. Research has shown that people who have cognitive difficulties, compared to those with a purely physical disability, are less likely to be employed, engage in fewer social and work-related activities, have greater difficulties carrying out routine household tasks, and are at higher risk for mental illness. If cognitive issues arise after an SCI, it is more likely that a person would have a more challenging time adapting the many lifestyle changes brought about by their injury, would benefit less from their rehabilitation program, and have more difficulty rejoining the workforce. As it stands, cognitive assessment or rehabilitation is not part of the standard of care for individuals after their SCI because of the relative lack of research in this area. This study seeks conduct a multisite pilot study to test whether a cognitive training program can improve processing speed abilities in individuals shortly after they experience their SCI, with the hopes that this early intervention will improve the trajectory of their overall health and well-being.