The role of neural and psychological factors in functional recovery

Recovery from brain insults which look similar at first glance may be a heterogeneous phenomenon, since injury characteristics and neuropathological correlates do not completely account for the variance in clinical outcomes, so that predicting which patients will struggle and which will thrive is a difficult challenge. The dissimilar behavioural and emotional outcomes often represent the biggest barrier to rehabilitative treatment both in the acute phase and in social, professional, and familial reintegration on the long term. Growing data indicate that among the multiple neurobiological and psychological factors that impact on the degree of brain recovery (Petrosini, 2017) there are the elements related to pre-morbid personality and environmental context of the patient.