Background: Neurosensory stimulation is effective in enhancing the recovery process of severely brain-injured patients with disorders of consciousness. Multisensory environments are found in nature, recognized as beneficial to many medical conditions. Recent advances detected covert cognition in patients behaviorally categorized as un- or minimally responsive; a state described as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD).
Objective: To determine effectiveness of a neurosensory stimulation approach enhanced by outdoor therapy, in the early phases of recovery in patients presenting with CMD.
Methods: A prospective non-randomized crossover study was performed. A two-phase neurosensory procedure combined identical individually goal assessed indoor and outdoor protocols. All sessions were video-recorded and observations rated offline. The frequency of volitional behavior was measured using a behavioral grid.
Results: Fifteen patients participated in this study. The outdoor group patients had statistically significant higher number of intentional behaviors than the indoor group on seven features of the grid. Additionally, for all items assessed, total amount of behaviors in the outdoor condition where higher than those in the indoor condition.
Conclusions: Although preliminary, this study provides robust evidence supporting the effectiveness and appropriateness of an outdoor neurosensory intervention in patients with covert cognition, to improve adaptive goal-oriented behavior. This may be a step towards helping to restore functional interactive communication.
Keywords: Neurosensory stimulation; cognitive motor dissociation; covert cognition; disorders of consciousness; early rehabilitation; outdoor therapy.