Multimodal Approach to Retraining Cognitive Functions

(Parenté & Herrmann, 2003)

Active Modes

• Mental Manipulations ­mnemonics, mental imagery, encoding strategies
• Mental Sets ­ cognitive sets that can be applied with thinking & processing, understanding novel info, reasoning, & learning new concepts

Passive Modes

Physiological

• Physical State ­ health, illness, pain, exercise, nutrition, sleep, temperature, time of day
• Chemical State ­ use of tobacco, coffee, caffeine, medicines like antidepressants, antibiotics, antihistamines, tranquilizers, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, environmental toxins
• Health ­ disease, brain tumor, anemia, low BP, epilepsy, depression, chronic fatigue

Psychological

• Emotional state ­ anxiety about tasks, situations, memory aptitude, annoyances like pain & discomfort, hassles, noise, persistent states of arousal, recent trauma, mood swings, depression, repression, stress
• Attitudinal State ­ extreme religious beliefs, incongruence between present & past life, stereotypes like age, culture, gender
• Motivation & Incentives ­ distractibility, incentive value of treatment & perceived relevance, goals, pattern of success experiences.

Support Modes

• Prosthetic Devices ­ tape recorders, calculators, PDA, alarm watch, timers, daily planner, etc.
• Social Environment ­ social cover-up skills, collaborative recall with another, social reminders, conversation ploys, social pressure, social feedback, coaching, social tolerance for deficits.
• Physical Environment - environmental cues that remind: a colorful sign or poster, computer messages ­ all readily available.
  

Disclaimer: The information posted on this web site is not medical advice and should not be taken as medical advice. Information posted on this web site is for information purposes only. To obtain medical advice, please consult with your physician or schedule an appointment where a complete, detailed history of your specific case may be obtained.