A. Rogiers, Belgium

CHU Brugmann Psychiatry
Dr Anne Rogiers obtained her MD in 1994 at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). In 1995 she started her training as a psychiatrist in CHU Brugmann. After obtaining her specialist degree in 2001, Dr Anne Rogiers worked at the St Jan Ziekenhuis in Brussels and at the “Federaal Agentschap voor Geneesmiddelen en Gezondheidsproducten” (FAGG). Dr Rogiers was appointed as a clinical expert and rapporteur at several occasions for the “Belgische Geneesmiddelen Commisie” as well as for the Committee of Human Medicinal Products (CHMP), Scientific Advisory Group and for the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) of the European Medicine Agency (EMA). Within this position, she was also alternate member of the Efficacy Working Party (EWP) and member of the Central Nervous group of the EWP. From 2012 until now she is appointed as Head of Clinic at the department of Psychiatrie of CHU Brugmann, were she is responsible of the "Neurocognitive Remediation Unit" and participates in the supervision and the lectures for trainees in Psychiatry. Dr Anne Rogiers is member of several national and international scientific societies including ASCO, EORTC Melanoma Group, the EORTC Quality of Life Group, l’Association Francophone de Remédiation Neurocognitive (AFRN) and Vlaamse Vereniging van Psychiaters. Since the past 10 years, Dr Rogiers has built up clinical and scientific experience in the field of psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and neuro-oncology as a clinician, as well a researcher. Within her clinical practice, she has built up a unique clinical experience in the psychotherapeutic treatment of some of the first advanced melanoma patients and survivors treated with immunotherapy, who were included in the clinical trials investigating immune and targeted therapy. The scope of her current research is the psychosocial and neurocognitive outcome and quality of life of advanced melanoma survivors treated with immune therapy. For the ongoing study, conducted at the department of Medical Oncology of UZ Brussels, she received a price of the “Foundation Brugmann” and presented the first results at ASCO Survivorship symposium in February 2018 and at ASCO SITC in March 2019. Dr Rogiers is also co-investigator of an ongoing study, investigating psycho-social outcome of survivors treated with ipilimumab, in collaboration with the Nationaal Kanker Instituut of the Netherlands. In addition she continuous her research on the quality of life in the field of Neuro-Oncology. In 2020 she obtained her PhD, entitled "Psychosocial and neurocognitive outcome and quality of life of advanced melanoma survivors treated with immune therapy" and was nomitated as clinical Professor at the VUB in February 2021.

Presenter of 1 Presentation

Oral Communications (ID 1110) AS41. Rehabilitation and psychoeducation

O243 - Psychiatric rehabilitation: an innovative program of integrative neurocognitive remediation therapy for patients with cognitive dysfunction

Date
Sat, 10.04.2021
Session Time
07:00 - 21:00
Room
On Demand
Lecture Time
20:00 - 20:12

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Neurocognitive dysfunction is associated with important socio-professional consequences and diminished quality of life. In the Neurocognitive Remediation Clinic of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann (Brussels, Belgium), patients suffering from neurocognitive dysfunctions related to common mental disorders (e.g. psychotic, mood, adjustment disorders) are considered for Neurocognitive Remediation Therapy (NCRT), combining personalized computerized cognitive training and strategy training, with group sessions of physical rehabilitation and cognitive behavior therapy.

Objectives

This cross-sectional study aims to assess the efficacy of a 12 week (1day/week) NCRT program organized within the day clinic.

Methods

Patients who completed the NCRT between March 2018 and June 2019 were eligible to participate. Efficacy was assessed using the cognitive failure questionnaire (CFQ) and a 17-item questionnaire assessing daily functioning. Current scores on the CFQ were compared to the scores before and after NCRT. Additionally NCF was retrospectively assessed through the neuropsychological test results before and after NCRT.

Results

Of the eligible 38 patients, 27 consented to participate (18 women/9 men); median age was 52 years, range (29-61); median time since stop NCRT was 7 months, range (4-17). Twenty patients (80%) reported improvement in daily function. Subjective neurocognitive function improved significantly immediately after NCRT (t=2.681, df=23, p=0.013) and remained stable at time of assessment (t=2.775, df=24, p=0.011). After NCRT at least 1 neuropsychological subtest normalized in 25 patients (96.15%). Divided attention, long-term visual memory and planning improved in respectively 80%, 75% and 75% of the patients.

Conclusions

Our innovative integrative program improves neuropsychological performances and sustainably ameliorate subjective neurocognitive and daily function.

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