I've been asked a couple of things which I'll try to find out about, and if anybody here can share what they know, that would be great --

-- a 47-year-old man is post-ICU but still in acute care after exiting a goods van onto the road -- main injury impact to back of his head (occipital). He's doing well in that he's aware and remembering day to day, can't read well, makes sense talking/listening, swears much =disinhibited. He'll stay in acute hospital a little longer (10 weeks so far), pending possible (long-shot?) transfer to rehab hosp.

Basic question from family -- are there any Android tablet apps which could be good for him to try?

Sounds like he's bored, has fairly good energy, but reading attention/concentration untested ... and any app use would be 95% by himself.

-- This one is not necessarily strictly TBI, but there's maybe an angle for us all ... I've been contacted by a lady in her 70s (living in a very remote area) whose husband became very vulnerable to stumbling and falling. I'm not sure whether he fell badly and injured his head/brain but in any case, or in addition, he's had "environmental poisoning" from formaldehyde/formalin, having worked for many years in a lab handling that dangerouos preservative; (the poisoning-brain injury was neurologist-diagnosed). Lately he's declined more, not able to move much or to talk, I think.

In this couple's remote area, they're not going to get more help than some physio. ...They certainly do need much more help than mere words, but what she specifically strongly wants to know is, is it true that some brains cells can regenerate -- are there particular ones which can re-grow, and is there any way to stimulate/encourage their re-growth?

+Re-generation potential of whichever cells is something we'd all like to know more about. Does anybody know where to look for answers?

Would be grateful for any pointers on any angle of these diverse questions, please!

Be best.
Paul

Lumosity app

Neuro-regeneration is a long and slow process if it happens at all. The brain does not have much regenerative capacity at that age. At 70 years old, the focus should be managing his symptoms and trying to prevent further injury.

The android apps are likely premature if he is still in acute care. Lumosity is just exercise, not a recognized rehab protocol. Brain training has been shown to benefit the tasks practiced but not improve other areas. Pushing too much cognitive effort may be counter-productive. A speech therapist may have some ideas that specifically fit his needs. Focusing on a small screen may not be good.

Thank you, Camp and Mark.

Yes, Lumosity sounds like it must have a mighty big subscription base and so it must have great merits.

Keeping engaged with whatever program/app and self-monitoring are pretty hard, I'd have thought, but I must try out some progs/apps and see how thy feel.

+ I'm sure you're absolutely correct, Mark, that it's very early-seeming for cognitive rehab for this guy, + "generalizing" to real life from brain-training exercises is hard or unlikely, + working to a small screen is tough in itself and maybe next-to-impossible for him for the time being.

And your other point, Mark, about 70+ efforts being best put towards symptom-management (and re-injury avoidance) is certainly also both wise and correct.

Thanks very much indeed.

... It's interesting and alluring to think about verifiablly catalysing cognitive improvement in whatever ways, and also to wonder about the extent (and brain locations) of neuronal regeneration (at any age). Both DIY brain-training and regeneration have become more prominent in recent years, but I'd love to find well-researched state-of-the-art summaries of what's known (or sensibly thought likely) so far.

The research on Lumosity has been completed recently. It showed the improvements are specific to the task. There is not a global improvement. I have done some of the free Lumosity exercises, BrainFit, and have a full copy of the Posit Science brain training. I noticed this early on in all three programs.

If someone needs remediation in an area that the Lumosity programs focuses on, it can be worthwhile. Think of it as similar to relearning to walk after a coma. The brain needs to have a basic capability for Lumosity to effect an improvement.