Meta-analysis of the Cognitive Rehabilitation of patients living with HIV/AIDS: The case for Executive Functions

Abstract

In recent years, research has shown that cognitive decline occurs in patients living with HIV and studies have brought into light the different treatment interventions are available to prevent the rapid decline of cognitive functioning in these individuals. Thus, it is crucial that the effect that treatment interventions on the executive function of HIV patients is studied. One such intervention is brain plasticity. Through understanding the model of brain plasticity following traumatic brain injury, and applying cognitive rehabilitation as a method of treatment, researchers believe that it is possible to ameliorate the cognitive deficits. In the present times, access to pharmaceutical treatments like antiretroviral treatment has been more accessible to persons living with HIV, however studies continue to show that as the virus progresses into its severe stages, even with the consistent use of antiretroviral treatment, cognitive domains such the executive function domain continue to become compromised. This means that the individual living with HIV will begin to show deficits in attention levels, memory and important thinking abilities as the virus spreads throughout the central nervous system. This study provides a meta-analysis wherein an array of scholarly articles have been used to measure the efficacy that the model of brain plasticity and the application of cognitive rehabilitation therapy has on the executive function of HIV patients. The findings show improvement in the attention span, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, inhibition, and working memory levels of patients living with HIV after the implementation of cognitive rehabilitation intervention.