Real-world environmental enrichment rehabilitation paradigm in people with severe traumatic brain injury: a pilot feasibility study.

Background: The use of Environmental Enrichment (EE) has been widely studied in animal models. However, the application of the same in humans is limited to rehabilitation settings.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of a community-based EE paradigm in adults with brain injury.

Methods: Six individuals diagnosed with traumatic brain injury enrolled in the study. The Go Baby Go Café instrumented with a body weight harness system, provided physical and social enrichment as participants performed functional tasks for 2 hours, three times a week, for 2 months. Feasibility and safety outcomes were recorded throughout sessions. Clinical measures including 10-meter walk, timed up and go, jebsen hand function, 6-minute walk, and trail making tests were obtained pre and post intervention.

Results: All participants completed the study. The attendance was 100% and adherence was 87%. Positive changes in clinical measures were statistically significant for the timed up and go ( = 0.0175), TUG-cognitive ( = 0.0064), 10-meter walk ( = 0.0428), six-minute walk ( = 0.0196), TMT-A ( = 0.034). Changes in JHFT were not significant ( = 0.0506), with one subject recording values counter to the trend.

Conclusion: The Café was a comprehensive EE-based intervention that was feasible, safe, and has the potential to enhance motor and cognitive function in individuals with brain injury.