title: Bridging the gap between clinical neuroscience and cognitive rehabilitation: the role of cognitive training, models of neuroplasticity and advanced neuroimaging in future brain injury rehabilitation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has brought about advances in the fields of brain plasticity and lifespan brain change, that might be of special interest for cognitive rehabilitation research and, eventually, in clinical practice. Parallel, intensive cognitive training studies show promising results for the prospect of retraining some of the impaired functioning following acquired brain injury.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  However, cognitive training research is largely performed without concurrent assessments of brain structural change and reorganization, which could have addressed possible mechanisms of training-related neuroplasticity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Criticism of cognitive training studies is often focused on lack of ecologically valid, daily-living assessments of treatment effect, and on whether the applied cognitive measures overlap too much with the training exercises. Yet, the present paper takes another point of view, where the relevance of recent MRI research of brain plasticity to the field of cognitive rehabilitation is examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arguably, treatment ought to be measured at the same level of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model, as it is targeting. In the case of cognitive training that will be the "body structure" and "body function" levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRI has shown promise to detect macro- and microstructural activity-related changes in the brain following intensive training.
authors.affiliation: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HT, Nesodden, Norway.
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nordvik
authors.affiliation: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HT, Nesodden, Norway Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kjersti Mæhlum
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Walle
authors.affiliation: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HT, Nesodden, Norway Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Claudia K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Anders M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fjell
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kristine B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Walhovd
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), K.G.Jebsen Center for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Westlye
authors.affiliation: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HT, Nesodden, Norway.
authors.forename: Sveinung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tornas
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008959:Models, Neurological; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Cognitive training; brain morphometry; brain plasticity; cognitive rehabilitation; diffusion tensor imaging; magnetic resonance imaging