Most individuals with brain damage experience a curtailment or loss of lifestyle without rehabilitation. Improved methods and appropriately timed medical interventions now make it possible for more individuals to survive brain insults and to be assisted by rehabilitation neuropsychologists in achieving renewed commitment to life. Damage to the brain -- the organ of human emotions and cognition -- reduces psychological functioning and realistic adaptation, and the patient and his/her family are often encapsulated in the time prior to injury. To regain part or most of the lifestyle lost, an honest, dedicated, and realistic approach is required. Neuropsychological rehabilitation can provide tools for this task, provided that the most comprehensive, elaborate and knowledge-based methods are integrated in the training, and provided that knowledge from many disciplines and from community environments and family is encompassed.
In the present book knowledge representing the development of neuropsychological rehabilitation during the past five years is collected from a conference titled "Progress in Neuropsychological Rehabilitation." The chapters are written by professionals who were invited to share their experiences from different areas within the field because of their expertise with processes involved in neuropsychological rehabilitation. After a historical review, the chapters follow a visible sequence from biology to neuropsychology and neuropharmacology. Experts discuss the most advanced medical knowledge of the effect of injury on states of the organism. The second part of the book is dedicated to the outcome and the economics of rehabilitation as well as plans for the future. Finally, a panel discussion addresses the overall concept: Is rehabilitation worthwhile and ethical? The reactions -- influenced by the cross-cultural exchange of knowledge -- shed light on the essence and practice of today's neurorehabilitation.

Emotions, behaviors, thoughts, creations, planning, daily physical activities, and routines are programmed within our brains. To acquire these capacities, the brain takes time to fully develop--a process that may take the first 20 years of life. Disruptions of the brain involving neurons, axons, dendrites, synapses, neurotransmitters or brain infrastructure produce profound changes in development and functions of the one organ that makes us unique. To understand the functions and development of the brain is difficult enough, but to reverse the consequences of trauma and repair the damage is even more challenging. To meet this challenge and increase understanding, a host of disciplines working and communicating together are required.
The International Association for the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury tried to correct this limitation during its meetings of international clinicians, researchers, and scientists from many fields. It was felt that many of the outstanding thoughts and ideas from the participants' most recent meeting and from others working in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) should be shared. This book was conceived not as proceedings of the conference, but as a collection of knowledge for those working in the acute and chronic recovery aspects of head injury.
This book reflects the importance of the team approach to patients with TBI. The chapter authors come from a diverse array of disciplines--basic science, neurosurgery, neurology, radiology, psychology, neuropsychology, and legal, consumer, and speech/language science. Their contributions provide the most current research and the latest ways of managing a variety of aspects of TBI.

Emotions, behaviors, thoughts, creations, planning, daily physical activities, and routines are programmed within our brains. To acquire these capacities, the brain takes time to fully develop--a process that may take the first 20 years of life. Disruptions of the brain involving neurons, axons, dendrites, synapses, neurotransmitters or brain infrastructure produce profound changes in development and functions of the one organ that makes us unique. To understand the functions and development of the brain is difficult enough, but to reverse the consequences of trauma and repair the damage is even more challenging. To meet this challenge and increase understanding, a host of disciplines working and communicating together are required.
The International Association for the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury tried to correct this limitation during its meetings of international clinicians, researchers, and scientists from many fields. It was felt that many of the outstanding thoughts and ideas from the participants' most recent meeting and from others working in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) should be shared. This book was conceived not as proceedings of the conference, but as a collection of knowledge for those working in the acute and chronic recovery aspects of head injury.
This book reflects the importance of the team approach to patients with TBI. The chapter authors come from a diverse array of disciplines--basic science, neurosurgery, neurology, radiology, psychology, neuropsychology, and legal, consumer, and speech/language science. Their contributions provide the most current research and the latest ways of managing a variety of aspects of TBI.

Neuropsychology has been concerned with brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychology has been concerned with application of relation ships to clinical problems. As interest in these topics continues, a spin-off from clinical neuropsychology has been the realization ofthe potential ofde lineations of behavioral consequences of cerebral lesions for developing and evaluating restoration and compensation objectives. Methods for these proce dures are scattered in books, journal articles, or else unwritten, and only in the minds of clinicians. Questions need to be addressed regarding the kinds ofassessment selections required; the types ofrehabilitation planning; the in fluences ofthe environment, communication, and personality; and the means of effectively evaluating rehabilitation procedures. A useful book is needed by clinicians working in this area. The purpose of this book is to consolidate, in one volume, current work able approaches ofa subdiscipline within neuropsychology and related areas which we are calling Intervention. Problems, dilemmas, solutions, and choices are presented to the reader beginning to work in this fascinating area, and to those of us already enthralled by previous developments and outcomes. Workers with expertise in assessment for intervention and interventiop strategies are chapter contributors who unravel issues, provide available em pirically based theory, illustrative data, and case reports. The volume begins with a chapter that emphasizes an awareness of the potential usefulness ofpathophysiology, and the recognition of spontaneous xv xvi recovery in relationship to intervention. Part II of the book is devoted to identifying and developing assessment techniques relevant for intervention."

This volume provides comprehensive international coverage of neuropsyc hological rehabilitation. It contains scientific discussions of dynami c brain changes (genetics, structure, physiology and hormones) plastic ity of the central nervous system, functional reorganization and brain repair in response to treatment in all stages. Also emphasized is acu te care of early and precise diagnostics, and later theories and princ iples guiding rehabilitative treatment. This volume is intended for cl inicians, professionals and students in areas of neuropsychology, heal th psychology, rehabilitation, behavioral neurology, occupational and physical therapy.