6^th Annual Conference on
Brain Disorders, Neurology and Therapeutics

Biography:

Dr. Fofi Constantinidou is Professor of Language Disorders and Clinical Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology and Director of the Center for Applied Neuroscience at the University of Cyprus. She is Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) and of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Her research focuses in the area of acquired adult neurological disorders and their effects on intellectual and cognitive abilities, in particular learning, memory, executive systems, and categorization. Constantinidou has published extensively on brain injury and aging and her research has been funded by NIH, the European Union, the industry and the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation. She is Chair of the International Networking Group of ACRM and a member of the Board of Governors of ACRM. In addition, she is Deputy Chair of CPLOL, the European Association of Speech Language Therapy Professionals and President of the Cyprus Association of Registered Speech Language Pathologists. Professor Constantinidou is the 2019 recipient of the Distinguished Member Award of ACRM.

 

Abstract:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are the two top conditions resulting in the highest percentage of disability. TBI is no longer viewed as a single event but as a chronic disease resulting in significant challenges. Age, also results in neurocognitive changes and while higher levels of cognitive reserve result in improved neurocognitive performance, age continues to be a robust predictor of neurocognitive functioning. Age and TBI have been established as significant risk factors for the development of dementia. In fact, TBI and AD share common neuropathologic sequelae. Furthermore, moderate-severe TBI sets off a neurodegenerative cascade manifested by significant reductions in brain volume and lingering neurocognitive deficits associated with longer time since injury, placing the survivor at risk for dementia in middle/later life. The purpose of this presentation is to first, provide evidence on the chronic and progressive effects of TBI on brain volume, neurocognitive performance, and quality of life (QOL). Second, to present data supporting the use of hierarchical neurocognitive training in adults with TBI and in healthy older adults who experience neurocognitive changes associated with the normal aging process, using the Categorization Program (CP). Preliminary data on the use of the CP in patients with mild cognitive impairment will be also presented. Finally, the presentation will conclude with findings from the large-scale European project on sensory intervention and dementia, the Sense-Cog project. Conclusion & Significance: The global health burden of TBI, aging and dementia can be tackled with multidisciplinary and integrative approaches to neurorehabilitation. Recommendations are made based on recent research evidence that can contribute to personalized rehabilitation methodologies.