Visual Training Program Shows Promise in Treating Cognitive Problems After Concussions

A new study led by scientists at the Perception Dynamics Institute and the University of California San Diego demonstrates that a specific visual training program significantly outperforms standard programs designed to treat cognitive problems following a concussion. The research,publishedinFrontiers in Human Neuroscience, reveals that a technique calledPerceptual Attention Therapy(PATH) produces rapid improvements in reading, attention, memory and executive function. "This study represents a paradigm shift in how we can effectively approach concussion rehabilitation," said Teri Lawton, Ph.D., lead author and founder of the Perception Dynamics Institute. "By targetingfoundational visual timing deficits—specifically motion discrimination at low levels of cognitive processing—we can dramatically improve higher-level cognitive functions." Mingxiong Huang, Ph.D., co-director of the MEG (Magnetoencephalography) Center at the UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute and senior author of the study, added, "TheMEG functional brain imagingat our facility allowed us to see, in high-resolution in space and time, how the brain's working-memory and attention networks reorganized after training. We could detect strengthened responses in many brain regions and confirm that the behavioral improvements reflected true functional recovery."