ABSTRACT

Objective : The purposes of this study were to look at the activation of the brain and to compare the normal elderly with the elderly with dementia after applying to the computer assisted cognitive rehabilitation pro-gram(Rehacom).Methods : The subjects were divided into two groups (elderly group without dementia) based on the MMSE-K and K-DRS. The subjects gazed at a point on a computer monitor during EEG measurement for 3 minutes as pretest. The subject ware then trained by AUFM (attention task mode) in computer assisted cognitive rehabilitation program. After 20 minutes or computer training, the subjects again gazed at a point on a computer monitor during EEG measurement for 3 minutes.Results : Dementia group improved in mean score, but there was not a significant change. The normal elderly subjects significantly increased in activity guotient (low beta/theta) for Fp1, F3, F4, T1, P3 and in attention concentration quotient (SMR/theta) for F4(p<.05). A significast difference betweer dementia graup and eld-erly group without dementia was found for F3, F4, F4, T1, T2, F4.Conclusion : The normal group showed a memningful change in frontal area. The dementia group showed an overall churge of activity, but not mearingful. This study present that the computer assisted cognitive re-habilitation program is a neurophysiologically effective method of cognitive training in the elderly. Therefore, occupational therapist should conduct research on the nature of the brain activation and specific region through the performance of computer assisted cognitive rehabilitation task.