Neuropsychological Rehabilitation of Patients with Organic Solvent-induced Chronic Toxic Encephalopathy. A Pilot Study

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Abstract
Fourteen patients with organic solvent-induced chronic toxic encephalopathy participated in a neuropsychological rehabilitation programme for 10 weeks. The programme consisted of group therapy and cognitive rehabilitation that focused on visual imagery. The rehabilitation was evaluated with neurophysiological methods, psychometric testing, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The patients were examined twice before the intervention, after the intervention, and finally after a further 6 months. A significant reduction of symptoms was noted after the intervention. Immediately after the rehabilitation programme the patients' performance improved on the Revised Visual Retention Test and on Paired Associates. At the follow-up examination only the improvement in Paired Associates remained. No effects of rehabilitation were observed on the resting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) level or pattern. After the intervention, a shift in hemispheric asymmetries was noted during activation, with higher activity in the right hemisphere. Six months post-training, hemispheric rCBF asymmetries returned to the pre-training pattern. In conclusion, the outcome of the neuropsychological rehabilitation programme was positive, as revealed by the patients' statements, the reduction of symptoms, the improved performance in psychometric tests assessing memory functioning, and the systematic alteration of degree and direction of hemispheric activity seen in the rCBF.